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.