LaBranche House - New Orleans, LA
Posted by: 
denben
N 29° 57.481 W 090° 03.881
15R E 783286 N 3317758
The Labranche House is located at 700 Royal Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Waymark Code: WM12D5J
Location: Louisiana, United States
Date Posted: 05/02/2020
Views: 1
Excerpt from the New Orleans City Guide 1938: "Labranche House, 700 Royal Street. At the downtown river corner of Royal and St. Peter Sts. stands an old edifice whose handsome cast-iron decorations make it one of the greatest attractions of Royal St. The quaint design, of entwined oak leaves and acorns, is regarded as one of the finest examples of ironwork in New Orleans. The building was erected a hundred years ago by Jean Baptiste Labranche of St Charles District."
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Today the building houses a gift and art shop called Forever.
"This historic building is said to be haunted by at least two different ghosts. Stories say a wealthy sugar planter Mr. LaBranche had a secret mistress named Melissa, and his wife found out after he died. It was said that Mrs. LaBranche invited Melissa over for tea, drugged her and chained her up on the third floor, starving her to death. It was said Mrs. LaBranche lived for another 15 years, with the woman's corpse above her all those years. Both women's ghosts are said to linger here; Melissa making restless movements on the 2nd and 3rd floors and Mrs. LaBranche has been seen on the second wearing a blue gown." (
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