The Cabildo

24 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Ghost Hunting, New Orleans

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Cabildo, Louisiana State Museum, new orleans

Postcard of the Cabildo in New Orleans.

Cabildo

Flanking the other side of the St. Louis Cathedral is the Cabildo. The original building was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788. Rebuilt between 1795-1799, the Cabildo served as a prison, government headquarters, and courtroom. The landmark court case Plessy v. Ferguson (for my lawyer friends) was heard in the Sala Capitular. A large restoration campaign kicked off in 1895 when the building was in a state of decay and ready for demolition. In 1911, the building became home to the Louisiana State Museum. Today, collection showcases the history of New Orleans.

Observations: The first floor still looks like a prison. It has the damp feel of the brick walls and the musty odor of age. It feels haunted. Large oil canvases capture the founders of the city, as well as the infamous. Walking through the building I felt a heaviness that could be attributed to the air quality. The Ghost Radar was picking up a lot of blips. Relevant words consisted of: “Mary,” “European,” and “burn.” As noted above, the original building was destroyed in a fire. There are several portraits containing women who could be “Mary.” And the Europeans weighed (another generated word) heavily in the history of the city. If there was a haunted building in New Orleans, it should be this one. I would love to return and conduct a night investigation.

Cabildo display of burial traditions.

Display in the Cabildo.

The Presbytere

23 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Disasters, Ghost Hunting, New Orleans

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Cabildo, Fats Domino, Hurricane Katrina, Mardi Gras, new orleans, Presbytere, St. Louis Cathedral

The Presbytere flanks the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

The Presbytere

Originally called the “Casa Curial” (Ecclesiastical House), the Presbytere was built in 1793 to house the Capuchin monks who ran the St. Louis Cathedral. Designed to complement the Cabildo which buttresses the cathedral on the other side, the Presbytere has been used for commercial purposes and as a courthouse. The State purchased the building in 1911 and converted it into a museum. Currently, it houses the “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina & Beyond” exhibit that captures the devastation endured by Hurricane Katrina and the elaborate “Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana.” Visit http://www.crt.state.la.us/museum/properties/presbytere/ for more information.

Observations: A stunning art installation of hanging soda bottles reflecting colored light welcomes you into the building. Straight ahead you see the Fats Domino’s piano, recovered following Hurricane Katrina. The “Living with Hurricanes” exhibit is eye-opening for anyone who has never lived in a hurricane-prone area. I especially liked the faded blue jeans with one man’s personal information. He used a Sharpie marker to write his Social Security Number, address, and wife’s contact information just in case he died during the hurricane’s aftermath.

The second floor is festive with an extensive historical analysis of Margi Gras. The collection includes float designs, costume designs, costumes, pageantry, and everything related to the early days of Mardi Gras. Anyone visiting New Orleans should visit. It is well worth the price of admission—which is cheap!

Photographs did not capture any irregularities. My Ghost Radar wasn’t that active either. I would love to go back for a full-on night investigation, though.