Myrtles hosts Halloween extravaganza
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Halloween has a way of bringing ghosts and spirits right out into the open … of filling the air with spooky stories and tales of the unexplained.
But all those scary costumes and horror movie marathons can’t match the suspense of … real life. And that’s what The Myrtles has to offer.
The Myrtles has a history steeped in murder, death, sadness and tragedy. It started with a slave named Chloe who accidentally poisoned the children of her owner. It continued with Chloe’s hanging and the murders of several other people who lived at The Myrtles long after Chloe was a faint memory.
Ten murders in all.And understandably, the ghost stories abound — from the tiny handprints inside the foyer mirror, to the movement of objects to the sound of footsteps on the stairway. Somehow, even cloaked in so much drama, the Myrtles remains a place that draws visitors year round.
This weekend, the Myrtles will host its annual Halloween Extravaganza, and will offer mystery tours ($10 per person) of the home and grounds from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30 and 31. Several tour guides will be available, so groups will go in at 15- or 20-minute intervals.
The Myrtles was recently featured on a new Discovery Channel series called Ghost Lab, which focuses on paranormal investigators (and brothers) Brad and Barry Klinge. In the show, local paranormal experts Ken and Maria Allaire were featured as consultants.
“The Myrtles is a peaceful, tranquil place,” said Ken Allaire, “but there’s no doubt that something’s there. My wife and I have been many times, and we’ve heard voices, seen spirits (caught in a photograph), and smelled unexplainable scents in the air.
“Even though we investigate strange phenomena, we’re actually skeptics. The difference is that we want to believe, and that’s why we work so hard to find evidence … gather proof ... of what you might call spirits, beings or entities.”
In the same show, Sam Hyde, a professor at Southeastern Louisiana University, offered a historical perspective by reading aloud letters and diary entries from 19th century residents of the area.
“Of course, I can’t say what is and isn’t true,” he said, “but the stories you hear about the Myrtles are consistent with the times … the way slaves were treated, the way some of them behaved (poisonings were more common than you think), the way plantation owners acted. All of the stories are conceivable.”
After the Halloween mystery tours this weekend, food and drink concessions will be available for purchase, and will include hot dogs, hamburgers, gumbo, chicken sandwiches, soft drinks, wine and beer. The on-site restaurant The Carriage House will serve dinner throughout the night, but reservations are strongly suggested.
For more information, call The Myrtles at (225) 635-6277.
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