Fort Pike - New Orleans, LA (Well Armed and Never Harmed)

27100 Chef Menteur Highway

New Orleans, LA 70129

30.166251,-89.737122 

            One thing that we have learned so far is that the waters surrounding New Orleans have been the target of many military attacks throughout the years. After the United States barely survived the Battle of 1812 against the British, President James Monroe ordered that a massive fortification of the southern waterways and coasts be erected. Construction of what would be known as the Third System fortifications began in 1816 and was officially complete in 1867. These forts consisted of several brick and masonry structures built along the coastal region and were able to protect New Orleans and the Mississippi River from any potential air or sea attacks.

Andrew Jackson Hotel - New Orleans, LA (The Haunted Hotbed of New Orleans)

919 Royal St.

New Orleans, LA 70116

29.96005,-90.062989

www.frenchquarterinns.com/andrewjackson

            With a little under sixty locations covered so far in this blog, we now reach the city of New Orleans, said to be the most haunted city in the United States. This claim may very well be true, as you will see that New Orleans makes up nearly half of the state’s paranormal hot spots. I have always been so fascinated with New Orleans and the plethora of history it contains. It's almost as if New Orleans was founded on the simple goal of becoming a haunted city a century or so later. Settled in 1718, New Orleans literally served as dumping grounds for the worst that society had to offer. Murderers, rapists and thieves from all over the world basically fled to New Orleans as a safe haven. Throw in the fact that the city was already home to clashing cultures such as French, Spanish and Irish; New Orleans was a ticking time bomb.
             As most people know, most of these haunts originate from the French Quarter. What many may not know is that almost every location in the French Quarter is built over something that once stood prior to 1788. It was on Good Friday, March 21, 1788, when the Great New Orleans Fire began, destroying eight hundred and fifty-six of the one thousand one hundred structures in the city! Said to have started at the location that is now 619 Chartres Street, the home of Army Treasurer Don Vincente Jose Nunez, nearly the entire city was destroyed in five hours! Due to this fact, it is often impossible to pinpoint the origin of many of the French Quarter hauntings. Such is the case with our first location, as a building historically known for one event is haunted due to a completely different happening in a building that once stood here.

Chalmette Battlefield - Chalmette, LA (The Battle of New Orleans)

8606 West St Bernard Hwy.
Chalmette, LA 70043

29.945081,-89.986053

            Many military historians will tell you that there is no battle in Louisiana more crucial than the Battle of New Orleans. Taking place on January 8, 1815, this was the final battle of the War of 1812, as United States troops, led by General Andrew Jackson, fought off the British Army, led by General Edward Pakenham. The battle was critical, as it prevented the British from seizing New Orleans as well as the vast amount of land we know as the Louisiana Purchase. One can only imagine how history would have been re-written if we would have lost this intense battle. Let’s face it; we could all be eating tea and crumpets right now, instead of beer and boudin!
           What is believed to be the most ironic part of the battle is that it could have actually been prevented, saving hundreds of lives. On December 24, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent had been signed, placing a truce between both sides. In the days before e-mail and text messages, news took a bit longer to reach its desired source, so while news of the peace treaty was on its way, thousands were still battling for their lives.