Ghostly Figures

When we took the pictures on this trip we made sure that no other visitors were in the photo. When I saw this one I thought we had caught some one on the levee walkway by the river. But in the other picture taken seconds after this one there were no people. This photo is one that to me becomes clearer as it was enlarged. There was no break in the trees in this section of the walkway and absolutely no one there. The first picture shows what looks like an adult woman with a child in front of her. The second picture shows what appears to be a woman in a grey dress complete with a hat and a small boy walking in front of her. The first photo was taken about 100 yards away.

Photos by H. Murray

Photos

Each photo below shows the original photo and under it an enlargement of the area with an abnormality. The next two photos were taken on Highway 90 in Louisiana on a bayou. The corner of a house that was partly submerged is in the far right of the photo. In the second photo enlargement there appears to be a bald man leaning forward and looking toward the water. Photos by H. Murray.

This is the back of the Beauregard House taken from the levee walkway. None of the abnormalities were seen when the pictures were taken.The red mass is on the second floor near the center of the house.











The pictures below are of the front of the house. It was made about 60 yards from the house. On the left side of the house there seems to be a woman going into the shrubs. She appears to be bent forward.

Ghostly Figures

This is my favorite "ghost" photo because the figures in it fit the area and are dressed as the men who fought there would have been. They are also the correct size for the area in which they appear. There are two ghostly men and a horse in this photo. Both have on coats and one man seems to be wearing a hat. They are walking across the battlefield in the rain beyond the embankment where Jean Lafitte fought at the site of the Battle of New Orleans.

Photo by C.J. Murray

The Highway 90 Chupacabra

Years ago, a friend of mine who was a truck driver and daily drove Highway 90 from Gulfport to New Orleans often talked of seeing no roadkill on the highway. He was convinced that something was eating the roadkill. Seeing none on that section of road was extremely unusual since there was an abundance in other areas. Many people explain the phenomena as the presence of a Chupacabra in the area. There have been world wide reports of the goat-eating animal that has sharp teeth, a strong stench and kills chickens and other small animals. They are said to live in the darkest parts of New Orleans City Park golf course and have been seen running in the tall grass and along the levee's of Chalmette National Battlefield. In the Paradis, Luling and Boutte, La. area, many say late at night you can see them running across Highway 90 looking for something or someone to eat. Sightings reach from Texas to Florida. The creature has many names; Grunch, Houma Marsh Monster, City Park Black Grunch, Grand Isle Nurtia Sucker and others. Lakeview residents now a days tell of how they no longer leave their pets in the yard since Hurricane Katrina, because so many Grunch were displaced into the neighborhood. In Harvey, Louisiana, many people tell of seeing them knocking over trash cans and chasing cats to devour their blood. At first people thought they were mangy or rabid hairless raccoons. Real or not the stories of the American Chupacabra in New Orleans is often a topic of conversation over coffee. The Metarie Grunch seems to be more supernatural. The creature is said to be able to walk through walls, or even speak in a growling voice. Many believe them to be rougarou or shape shifting evil. Everyone in New Orleans knows of the Devil Baby. The story told in Metarie is that a child bitten by the Devil baby or cursed by him to shape shift into Chupacabra or Grunch at the full moon. Many, many reports are of sightings along highway 90. Perhaps the Chupacabra is the reason my friend saw no roadkill in the years he drove that route.

Fort Beivnue, Chalmette Battlefield & Fort Pike

Fort Beivnue will probably never be explored by any paranormal group since it it now surrounded by water and is privately owned. It is an interesting place however. Fort Beivnue guarded the entrance to Bayou Bievnue just north of Chalmette. Construction on the fort began in 1815. It protected the route used by the British forces to attack New Orleans in 1814. During the Civil War a Confederate army camp (Camp Chalmette) was located at Chalmette battlefield, which is about a mile below Jackson Barracks. The camp protected the areas rear approach during the war. Fort Beivnue is a Marochello Tower. Bayou Bievnue empties into lake Borgne, and at its head water is the Chalmette battlefield. The fort is on private property and is used as a fishing camp.

Fort Bievnue-Photo by Kenny Meyers

The Chalmette Battlefield monument (below) was damaged by Katrina and seems to be leaning. The photo below which seems to show an abnormality was taken by Nichole Quick.


Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery was established in May 1864 as a final resting place for Union soldiers who died in Louisiana during the Civil War, the cemetery also contains the remains of veterans of the Spanish- American War, World Wars I and II, and Vietnam. Four Americans who fought in the War of 1812 are buried here, but only one of them took part in the Battle of New Orleans. The Battlefield is reported to be very haunted with ghost of The Battle of New Orleans and more. Many strange sightings and ghost photos happen here. Orbs mists, EVP's and and occasional feelings of being grabbed by unseen hands. There are reports of a soldier who walks the grounds. At dusk there are whispers and the sounds of voices where there are no people. Adjacent to the battlefield, is the United States Civil War Chalmette National Cemetery, honoring Civil War soldiers who died on both sides. Those buried there include members of the famous Buffalo Soldiers. The cemetery sits on a tract of land which is approximately where the British artillery was located during the Battle of New Orleans. Also located on the Chalmette Battlefield grounds is the Beauregard House. Beauregard House was never used as a plantation, and was built in 1830. It is named for René Beauregard, its last owner, the son of the Civil War Confederate General, P. G. T. Beauregard. The visitors center on the grounds was destroyed by the Katrina surge and there are now temporary facilities.

The Beauregard house was damaged by Katrina but is repaired now. The house is unfurnished and is made almost entirely of marble and stone. It is cold in the home and there are the sounds of footsteps behind you as you walk through. When upstairs there are sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs when no one is there. There were also unexplained shadows that move alone the walls and then disappear.

The Graves at Chalmette Battlefield with destroyed brick wall in background.


The Battlefield was damaged by Katrina's surge and but the markers have been repaired. There are sounds of cannon fire and the sharp sounds of orders being given that echo through the area on occasion.

Fort Pike

Fort Pike was also damaged by Katrina. It is a very spooky place and I heard footsteps behind me on the grass near the battery pictured above. Thinking it was a friend, I turned and found no one there. As I walked the footsteps followed.

Inside the outer arches of Fort Pike

In the arched walls of the Fort there were distinct voices always just ahead, despite the fact that we were alone on the tour. There are cold spots in some areas and in the closed in casements there are shadows that are darker than the darkness of the interior.