Houmas House Plantation is a Haunting Experience
The Houmas House plantation is not as popular as some of the other plantations on the River Road, but I kind of like it that way. What drew me to this plantation was the amazing architecture and gardens.
But as soon as I started looking around online, I found there was another special reason to visit. The Houmas House Plantation is Haunted!
The plantation started to produce sugarcane long before the Louisiana Purchase. In 1810 General Wade Hampton purchased the land and built the ionic mansion.
The home had stood during the Civil War, the Mississippi Flood of 1927, and the Great Depression. It wasn’t until 2003 was then when things started to get a little more interesting at the house.
The Haunting at Houmas House Plantation
When renovations started in preparation for public tours, their first visitor made an appearance. A worker was doing some work when he noticed a little girl looking out from the freestanding stairway.
Concerned for her safety, he went to confront her, but she just vanished. So concerned, he told others about this. Two other works said they spotted her as they were working too.
They described her as a young girl, between the age of 7-10 with brunet hair and dark eyes. She was wearing a blue dress.
Tour guides and guests have noticed seeing her in the early morning and last afternoon around the stairs. She seems interested in the hustle and bustle of the crowds visiting the home.
There have been two children who died of illness between her age in the house, but they haven’t been able to confirm which one it is. Her identity is a mystery. For now, she is known as La Petite Fille or The Little Girl.
Visiting Houmas House
I arrived at the house during the daylight hours. The home was amazing and filled with history, more than I ever imagined. When we visited in October, they had covered all the pictures in black shrouds.
The part that really threw me off was the coffin they had displayed in the parlor. Knowing funerals were held there is one thing, but seeing a coffin is a completely different story. I can’t imagine what that would be like living there.
I was so amazed by all the artifacts around the room, I completely forgot that I should be on the lookout for the paranormal. As soon as I saw the staircase, I remember why I was there.
My anxiety grew a little. Knowing she likes to visit there, I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
As we traveled around the second floor, I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder occasionally to see if I might catch a glimpse. She must not have been that interested in us. I
’m somewhat thankful because I’m not sure how I would have reacted if I did see her. From all the other reports, she seems just interested in who’s visiting her house. Even still, I may have run in the other direction. If you run into her, just say ‘Hi’ and keep going.
The Houmas House design is similar to Oak Alley. Check it out!
Tours
The first tour of the day is at 9:30 and the last tour starts at 7pm. Tours last one hour. During the month of October, the 6pm and 7pm tour are haunted ghost tours. Admission also gives you access to the gardens. You are free to tours as much as you want.
As of March 2022, they have changed to a self-guided tour.
Movies Filmed at Houmas House Plantation
Similar to Oak Alley, Housmas House has also been home to film crews. You can see the backdrop of the home and gardens in the following films:
- Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte, 1964
- Longstreet TV Series, 1971-72
- Moon of the Wolf, 1972
- Mandingo, 1975
- A Closer Walk, 1976
- Big Bob Johnson and His Fantastic Speed Circus, 1978
- A Woman Called Moses, 1979
- All My Children, 1981
- Fletch Lives (Fletch II), 1988
- Snow Wonder (Hallmark Hall of Fame), 2006
- K’ville (Fox TV series, pilot and first episode), 2007
- Top Chef, 2009
- Revenge of the Bridesmaids, 2010
- Love, Marriage, Wedding, 2010
- Wheel of Fortune, 2011
- Our Brand is Chaos, 2015
- The Bachelor, Season 21, 2017
- The Green Book, 2018
Cost
5 and under Free
Ages 6-12 $10
Ages 13-17 $15
Adults 18+ $24
Location
40136 LA-942
Darrow, LA 70725
Get your tickets for the self-guided tour by clicking here.
I recommend renting a car. It might save you a few dollars depending on the stops you want to make. On the tour we visited, we also stopped at Oak Alley Plantation before we headed back to eat as many new foods as we could in the limited amount of time we were in New Orleans.
*Thank you to the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau for providing us with admission to the plantation. As always, my opinions are my own.