Louisiana's Haunted Plantations [Paperback]

Jill Pascoe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2004

New Orleans has been called the most haunted city in America, and with good reason. But there are more ghosts in Louisiana than can be held in one city and the plantations of this state, with their luxurious buildings and centuries old trees, are the ideal resting ground for spectral inhabitants. In some places there are questions about the existence of ghosts. At Louisiana’s plantations the question is how many?

In this collection of thirteen chilling tales you will explore the ghosts along the River Road at some of Louisiana’s best known plantations, and also along the back bayous of the state. You will encounter the ghosts of the most haunted house in America, meet ladies in white and black who refuse to leave, learn of spectral children who continue to play, Civil War soldiers trapped where they died, pirates guarding buried treasure and even the ghosts of homes that met a fiery end. These true tales will delight and frighten you during your unique journey through the bayou state.

Never before has a collection of ghost stories focused exclusively on the plantations of Louisiana. Every site featured in this book is open to the public either through tours or as a bed and breakfast. In addition to providing enjoyable stories, Louisiana’s Haunted Plantations also serves as a unique guidebook to the plantations of the state complete with contact information for all the sites featured.

Jill Pascoe lives and writes in Louisiana. She has worked in other states at several historic homes reputed to be haunted. This work combines her interest in history and love of a good ghost story. This is her first book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jill Pascoe has a lifetime love of a good ghost story and has always been involved with history and architecture. She grew up in Winnipeg, Canada and moved to Montreal where she earned a BA Honors in Archaeology with a minor in History from McGill University. Upon graduation Jill moved to London, England where she achieved a MA in Museum Studies from University College London. Armed with these degrees Jill entered into the world of historic sites, museums, and historic preservation, encountering something unusual wherever she turned... ghosts. After working at several historic houses and sites in Canada, England, New Jersey, and Virginia a pattern emerged of ghost stories being told at all these historic places. Yet there was never any books published on these public sites, and the idea of writing books about haunted historic sites was born.

When Jill and her husband made the move to Louisiana she knew she was finally in the right location to write such a book. After reviewing the literature on ghostly activity in the state, she settled on writing about haunted plantations, after all, every respectable plantation should have at least one ghost. Jill embarked on the research and began to travel around the state to different haunted plantations interviewing staff about their experiences. The result is her first book, Louisiana’s Haunted Plantations.

Jill lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her husband Josh, and their cats. In her spare time she reads, writes, and travels. She is working on her next book, and always enjoys hearing about personal ghostly experiences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Irongate Press (August 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097547460X
• ISBN-13: 978-0975474600
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #674,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jill Pascoe has a lifetime love of a good ghost story and has always been involved with history and architecture. She grew up in Winnipeg, Canada and moved to Montreal where she earned a B.A. Honors in Archaeology with a minor in History from McGill University. Upon graduation Jill moved to London, England where she achieved a M.A. in Museum Studies from University College London. Armed with these degrees Jill entered into the world of historic sites, museum, and historic preservation, encountering something unusual wherever she turned...ghosts. After working at several historic houses and sites in Canada, England, New Jersey, and Virginia a pattern emerged of ghost stories being told at all these historic places. Yet there was never any books published on these public sites, and the idea of writing books about haunted historic sites was born.
When Jill and her husband made the move to Louisiana she knew she was finally in the right location to write such a book. It was while living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that she wrote her first book, Louisiana's Haunted Plantations, which was published in 2004.
When Jill moved to Phoenix, Arizona with her husband she knew she wanted to write another book, and after touring the state and exploring the historic sites, she wrote Arizona's Haunted History.
Jill lives in Gilbert, Arizona with her husband Josh, their son Adam, their daughter Charlotte and their three cats. In her spare time she reads, writes and travels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There are ghosts here!, November 5, 2004

By 

Stephen Bloom (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Louisiana's Haunted Plantations (Paperback)

This is a terrific, fun book. It's packed with scary stories about the myriad ghosts who haunt the old plantations in Louisiana. Jill Pascoe, who lives in Louisiana, writes about strange happenings in The Myrtles in St. Francisville, Oak Alley in Vacherie and Chretien Point near Sunset and many others, including some plantations that have burned down. Several stories of haunting by those long dead are genuinely creepy. The thirteen chapters key on individual plantations, except for the last about burnt plantations and the forlorn spirits who wander the ruins. The author anchors the ghost stories within the history of each plantation and often a reader will feel transported back to an age of lively grand houses with sweeping lawns and towering live oaks. Some of those people from long ago never left their plantations and continue to disturb the houses and grounds. Pascoe also writes about her personal and scary encounters with the spirits. The book is a grand read!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Itching to go to Louisiana after reading..., May 4, 2005

By 

Jeff Kwan (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Louisiana's Haunted Plantations (Paperback)

In the mood for a ghost story or two? Louisiana's Haunted Plantation has a few stories and more. This is a well researched book that provides a great look into the past and the present of the haunted plantations in Louisiana. Taking safety into her own hands, Jill Pascoe, gives us some first hand accounts of the plantations, and their mysterious goings-on. But most chilling are the interviews with the people who work and live at the plantations.

Each chapter focuses on a single plantation with an excellent blend of history, architecture and narrative. The black and white photos of the plantations help realize the vivid images painted by the words.

After finishing the book, I found myself wanting to visit the Louisiana and some of these plantations. Although, I might not have the courage to stay overnight at some of these places. The book provides great contact information for each of the plantations including websites.

After you've read the book, I recommend taking a careful look at the front cover...

Highly recommended!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Haunted Louisiana Travel Guide, October 5, 2005

By 

Dennis Phillips "The Book Friar" (Bulls Gap, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Louisiana's Haunted Plantations (Paperback)

If I were a ghost I don't think that I could find any better place to haunt than a spooky old Louisiana plantation house. Apparently there are several spooks who agree with me because according to this very well written book there are ghosts aplenty in these antebellum mansions. Not only are the locations discussed in this book haunted, but they are more often than not haunted by several spirits. No rundown old Victorian houses for these ghosts for they seem to enjoy the finer things in life, or death as the case may be.

Jill Pascoe has done an excellent job of putting together a fine collection of ghost stories from the old plantation homes of Louisiana. Her writing style is very pleasing and I found that I zipped right through this book and I finished wanting more. The author hits a very good balance between the history of the haunt and its home and very recent eyewitness accounts which come straight from the witnesses themselves. All too often these books lean so much on history and legend that they have no credibility because no living person who has experienced the ghost is consulted. Sometimes however, the pendulum swings the other way and there are numerous accounts from recent eyewitnesses but the ghost or location is given no historical treatment at all. This of course leaves the reader wondering why this ghost haunts the location in question and who might this spirit have been in life. Pascoe, in her first book has accomplished a balance that many veteran ghost authors haven't achieved after numerous books.

It is refreshing indeed to find an author in this genre who takes her work as seriously as this one does. She does not treat this like it is a college literature folklore assignment but instead seems to be very much in tune with her subject. She even has some experiences of her own while visiting the sites she writes about. It adds so much extra flavor to this type of book when the author actually visits the sites they are describing but all to few make this effort. On top of all this, she has taken the time to include the contact information for the sites discussed, including web sites. Since many of these plantations offer overnight accommodations, she has even made the effort to list the most frequent disturbances in each available room so you can decide whether you want to feel something snuggling up to you during the night or would rather just see an one armed specter. This is the perfect book for those who like to visit and stay in haunted houses. I am one of those people but unfortunately my wife is not.

The only drawback I found was the author's all too detailed description of the architecture and furnishing of the homes. I suppose this is to be expected from a museum curator but it left me a little weary at times. Other than this one little flaw I would have to say that this is one of the better ghost books I have ever read and if you are planning a trip to Louisiana this book is a must.