HELL MINDS
PART 1: PODCAST – INTRODUCTION
The familiar static that signals the descent into the macabre on Hell Minds crackles and swirls, tonight carrying a heavy, almost humid quality, like the air before a Southern storm. It's a static thick with history, with sorrow, with the lingering echoes of lives tragically cut short. The low, steady thrum of the human heartbeat returns, but tonight it seems to carry a subtle tremor, a nervous anticipation of the dark tales about to unfold in the humid air of Louisiana. The heartbeat fades as the signature Hell Minds theme music begins, a haunting and melancholic melody this time, incorporating the mournful strains of a blues guitar and the distant, unsettling sound of children's laughter that quickly fades into a whisper.
KAIRA (Host):
Welcome back, everyone, to the shadowy embrace of Hell Minds—the podcast that consistently reminds you that sometimes, the most beautiful facades can hide the darkest histories, and that not all old houses are filled with charm and antique furniture. Tonight, we're packing our virtual bags and heading deep into the American South, to a location steeped in history, beauty, and an overwhelming sense of spectral activity: The Myrtles Plantation in the historic town of St. Francisville, Louisiana. Prepare yourselves, because this isn't just a place said to have a ghost or two; it's a veritable metropolis for the departed.
LIA:
Kaira is not exaggerating in the slightest. The Myrtles Plantation isn't just rumored to be haunted; it's practically overflowing with spectral residents. Some paranormal investigators and visitors claim that over a dozen distinct ghosts roam the grounds and the grand old house. We're talking about the classic manifestations of the supernatural – shadowy figures flitting through doorways, the innocent laughter of phantom children echoing in empty hallways, a mirror said to hold trapped souls, and at the heart of it all, the tragic figure of an enslaved girl named Chloe, whose story is as heartbreaking as it is central to the plantation's haunted lore.
EZRA:
(A tone of morbid fascination mixed with disbelief)
Wow, sounds like the Disneyland of ghosts, if Disneyland's main attractions involved existential dread and the very real possibility of soiling yourself out of sheer terror. I mean, a dozen ghosts? That's less a haunting and more a spectral convention. You'd almost expect to see them holding little ghostly seminars on how to best rattle chains and moan effectively.
JUNO:
I've delved deep into the history and the countless accounts surrounding The Myrtles Plantation, and what strikes me is the sheer density of tragic events that have unfolded there over the centuries. It's not just one isolated incident; it's layers upon layers of death, betrayal, suffering, and a pervasive sense of unfinished business that seems to cling to the very soil of the plantation. There's even a widely circulated photograph, taken seemingly by chance, that appears to capture the distinct figure of a ghostly woman, an image that has baffled paranormal investigators and continues to fuel the plantation's eerie reputation.
MALIK:
(A tone of utter disbelief and slight disgust)
And the truly baffling part? People still actively book rooms there for overnight stays, like it's some quaint and charming bed-and-breakfast with a little bit of "character." Nah, man. I'd rather spend a romantic evening locked inside a poorly ventilated coffin than willingly sleep in a place with a double-digit ghost population and a history soaked in tragedy. The potential for a truly bad night's sleep is astronomically high.
KAIRA:
Tonight, we're going to peel back the layers of history and delve into the deeply haunted history of The Myrtles Plantation. We'll explore the tragic tales that have stained its past, the spectral figures that are said to still roam its halls, and the chilling legends that have made it one of the most notoriously haunted locations in the United States. So, buckle up, dear listeners. We're heading down South, and it's about to get very, very dark.
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PART 2: DRAMATIZED RETELLING
St. Francisville, Louisiana – Late 1700s
The story of The Myrtles Plantation begins in the late 18th century, specifically in 1796, when it was established by General David Bradford, a man with the rather colorful moniker of "Whiskey Dave," earned during his involvement in the Whiskey Rebellion. Initially, the plantation promised a life of Southern gentility, a peaceful estate carved out of the fertile Louisiana soil. However, this idyllic beginning was tragically short-lived, as a pall of misfortune and death soon began to settle over the land and the families who resided there.
Over the subsequent decades, The Myrtles Plantation passed through the hands of multiple families, each seemingly touched by tragedy and loss. A pervasive sense of sorrow and unrest seemed to cling to the very foundations of the house. Among the many tales of misfortune that have become intertwined with the plantation's history, one of the most enduring and infamous is the tragic story of an enslaved girl named Chloe, who was allegedly owned by Clark and Sara Woodruff during the 1800s.
The rumors surrounding Chloe paint a grim picture of her life at The Myrtles. Clark Woodruff, the master of the plantation, was said to have taken Chloe as his mistress, exploiting his position of power and further entangling her in the complexities and dangers of plantation life. Desperate to maintain her precarious position within the household and avoid further hardship, Chloe reportedly began to eavesdrop on the private conversations of the Woodruff family. This act of defiance and self-preservation ultimately led to a brutal punishment. When caught in the act of eavesdropping, Chloe's ear was said to have been severed as a cruel and visceral consequence. Following this horrific incident, Chloe was forced to wear a green turban, a constant and visible reminder of her transgression and her subjugated status.
Driven by a desperate desire to regain favor with the Woodruff family, particularly with Sara, Clark's wife, Chloe concocted a dangerous and ultimately fatal plan. She decided to bake a birthday cake, intending to lace it with a small, non-lethal amount of oleander extract. Her misguided hope was that the family would become mildly ill, allowing her to then "save" them with her supposed knowledge of remedies, thus proving her worth and securing her place within the household. However, Chloe tragically miscalculated the potency of the oleander.
On the day the cake was served, Clark Woodruff was away from the plantation. His wife Sara and their two young daughters partook of the poisoned cake. The oleander, far from inducing a mild illness, proved to be lethally toxic. Sara Woodruff and her two innocent daughters died in agonizing pain, their lives extinguished by Chloe's desperate and ill-conceived plan.
When the other enslaved people on the plantation learned of Chloe's actions and the horrific consequences, they were gripped by fear. They understood the brutal realities of plantation justice and likely feared collective punishment for Chloe's transgression. In a desperate attempt to protect themselves, they reportedly took matters into their own hands. They dragged Chloe outside, away from the main house, and hanged her from a nearby tree. To further conceal their actions and perhaps appease whatever spirits they believed might be angered, they then threw Chloe's body into the murky depths of the Mississippi River.
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The tragic and brutal death of Chloe left an indelible stain on The Myrtles Plantation, and her spirit is said to be the most prominent among the many who haunt its grounds. Visitors to the plantation have frequently reported seeing the spectral figure of a woman wearing a distinctive green turban, often wandering the halls of the house or inexplicably appearing in the numerous mirrors scattered throughout the property. One particularly famous and compelling piece of evidence is a photograph taken in 1992, seemingly by chance, between two of the plantation's outbuildings. The photograph appears to show the partially transparent figure of a woman dressed in old-fashioned clothing and wearing a turban, a chilling visual corroboration of the countless eyewitness accounts of Chloe's ghost.
Adding to the plantation's eerie ambiance is a massive, ornate mirror located in the main hall, said to be afflicted by a potent curse. According to local lore, when Sara Woodruff and her two daughters died after consuming the poisoned cake, custom dictated that all mirrors in the house should have been immediately covered. This tradition was believed to prevent the spirits of the deceased from becoming trapped within the reflective surfaces, hindering their passage to the afterlife. However, one particular mirror in the main hall was inexplicably left uncovered.
Since that fateful oversight, strange and unsettling phenomena have been associated with this specific mirror. Visitors and staff have reported seeing distinct handprints appearing on its surface, seemingly pressed from the inside of the glass. Despite repeated attempts at cleaning, these spectral handprints stubbornly reappear, defying any logical explanation. Some visitors have even claimed to see fleeting faces reflected in the glass, faces that don't belong to anyone present, or the faint outlines of children's hands reaching out from within the mirror's depths, a chilling reminder of the tragic deaths that occurred within the house.
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However, the spectral inhabitants of The Myrtles Plantation extend far beyond the tragic figure of Chloe and the cursed mirror. The plantation's long and often turbulent history has left behind a multitude of other restless spirits, each with their own story of loss and unfinished business.
One particularly active ghost is said to be that of a former owner who was shot on the front porch of the house and subsequently died inside, bleeding out on the grand staircase. Visitors and staff have frequently reported hearing the distinct sound of heavy footsteps ascending the staircase, even when no one is physically present. These phantom footsteps serve as a haunting auditory reminder of the violent end met by this former resident.
Adding a layer of both innocence and unease to the plantation's spectral atmosphere is the frequently reported sound of children's laughter echoing through the empty hallways and rooms, particularly late at night. These disembodied giggles serve as a poignant reminder of the young lives that were lost within the house's walls, their joy now tinged with a spectral sadness.
Guests who dare to spend the night at The Myrtles have often recounted unsettling experiences within their bedrooms. Many report the distinct sensation of their beds being disturbed in the night, as if an invisible presence has lain down beside them, a chillingly intimate encounter with the unseen residents of the plantation.
The spectral figure of a woman dressed in an old-fashioned gown has also been frequently sighted gliding silently through walls, a fleeting glimpse into the plantation's past. Some even claim to have encountered the ghostly apparition of a soldier, appearing with a gruesome gaping wound in his chest and a look of profound confusion on his spectral face, a silent testament to a long-forgotten tragedy.
And then there are the nightly knocks, a persistent and deeply unsettling auditory phenomenon reported by countless visitors and staff. Always occurring precisely at 3:00 a.m., three hard, distinct pounds resonate through the doors and walls of the plantation, a spectral alarm clock marking a time of heightened paranormal activity.
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PART 3: PODCAST – DISCUSSION
The studio air feels heavy and still, the chilling tales of The Myrtles Plantation lingering like a humid Southern night.
KAIRA:
Okay, I think it's safe to say that if there's one location we've covered on Hell Minds that has officially earned a permanent spot on my "Never Stay Overnight Under Any Circumstances" list, it's The Myrtles Plantation.
LIA:
Absolutely. The story of Chloe is particularly heartbreaking and terrifying. She was a victim of a brutal system, driven to desperate measures in a fight for survival, and now her ghost is seemingly trapped in a place that never offered her any real peace in life. It's a cycle of tragedy.
EZRA:
And that cursed mirror? That's the stuff of nightmares. The idea of trapped souls pressing their handprints from inside the glass, the fleeting glimpses of ghostly faces… that's a level of visual and psychological horror that genuinely freaks me out. I'd be tempted to cover every reflective surface in that house with multiple layers of thick blankets.
JUNO:
There's something profoundly unsettling about the sheer number of spirits that are reportedly tied to that one location. It's as if the house itself has become a kind of spiritual vortex, drawing in and holding onto the residual energy of all the tragedy and death that has occurred within its walls. It's less a home and more a spectral holding cell.
MALIK:
Yeah, it's not just a haunted house; it's practically a graveyard with wallpaper and functioning plumbing. And people are willingly paying money to sleep in it! Imagine lying in bed and hearing soft, disembodied footsteps and just thinking, "Oh, that's probably just the ghosts of the dead children again." That level of acceptance of the paranormal is just… unsettling.
LIA:
Numerous visitors have reported experiencing physical symptoms while staying at The Myrtles. We're talking about sudden onset of severe headaches, overwhelming nausea, and a pervasive, inexplicable feeling of sadness and dread. The sheer weight of the negative energy associated with that place must be immense.
KAIRA:
Some paranormal investigators who have studied The Myrtles claim that it's one of the few locations where virtually every single room exhibits some form of paranormal activity. That speaks volumes about the sheer density of its haunting. There are even reports of the ancient trees on the property whispering at night, as if the very land itself is imbued with the plantation's tragic history.
EZRA:
And that, my friends, is precisely why I will likely never set foot in the state of Louisiana. Too many ghosts, too much humidity, too many opportunities for a bad night's sleep.
KAIRA:
Next week on Hell Minds, we're leaving the Southern gothic atmosphere behind and heading to Japan, where we'll explore the bizarre and unsettling legend of a doll named Okiku, whose human hair is said to mysteriously grow, making her a permanent and revered resident in a Shinto shrine.
JUNO:
(A weary sigh)
Oh great. More dolls. Just when I thought we were branching out.
KAIRA:
Don't miss it, everyone. And remember, as you drift off to sleep tonight: some houses, no matter how beautiful or historic, never truly let go of their guests.
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Outro music begins, a slow, creeping melody played on a lone violin, accompanied by the faint, ethereal sound of wind whispering through Spanish moss. In the background, a single, chilling child's giggle echoes and then abruptly fades into silence.
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End of Chapter 7