Louisiana's Haunted Plantations (Paperback)

by Jill Pascoe (Author) "As you drive up to The Myrtles Plantation, all traces of the present seem to dissolve away behind you..." (more)
Key Phrases: oak alley, plantation office, plantation grounds, New Orleans, The Myrtles, Civil War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
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.

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 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #433,159 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 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 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)

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!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I found it quite interesting, January 19, 2006

By	Tamara Michael "New Orleans Creeper" (Zachary, La USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are planning a trip to Louisiana to visit our beautiful plantations than this is the book to bring with you. It gives a brief history of each plantation and describes what ghostly activity has occurred within each one. I've been fortunate enough to visit a lot of the homes listed in this book and it covers things that the tour guides tend to miss. This is definitely a recommended read.