If you have ever traveled to New Orleans, than you probably have visited the French Quarter. Known across the country by ghost hunters and curious tourists alike, people come from far and wide just to experience the creepy and haunted nature of this historic neighborhood.

But there is one story that stands out among the rest—the story of  the LaLaurie Mansion. The tale is so gruesome and terrible, some people might not even want to read on. But here it goes….

If you are taking a stroll in the French Quarter down Royal Street, you may not even notice this historic building.
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Although it is unquestionably gorgeous, it looks very similar to many other buildings in the quarter.
But hidden behind the ornate door, there's a gruesome tale that rocked New Orleans to its core.
Facebook.com / Delphine Lalaurie Mansion
Marie Delphine Lalaurie (1780-1849) was a New Orleans Creole socialite born during the Spanish colonial period.
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Married three times in Louisiana, Delphine was widowed twice. She settled into the LaLaurie mansion in 1831.
Rumors of Lalaurie's abuse of her slaves spread throughout the French Quarter.
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There were numerous reports of slaves being malnourished and tortured. One of Lalaurie's slaves, a young girl named Lia, fell to her death from the roof of the mansion trying to escape her abuse. This led to an investigation where 9 slaves were removed from the home.
Eventually those slaves were returned, however, until the fateful night in 1834.
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A fire broke out at the residence on Royal Street, starting in the kitchen.
This major fire attracted a large number of police and fire marshalls.
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When they went to rescue those inside--they were met with a horrifying sight--a 70 year old woman, the cook, chained to the stove by her ankle.
Eventually, she confessed that she had set the fire as a suicide attempt.
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Why was she trying to commit suicide? For fear of being taken to the torture chamber Lalaurie had kept in the attic of this house.
After being refused entry, bystanders to the fire broke down the doors of the slave quarters.
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There, they found 7 slaves, "more or less horribly mutilated...suspended by their neck, limbs stretched and torn from one extremity to the other", as reported by the New Orleans Bee on April 11, 1834.
Horrors continued to be reported, including slaves being starved and forced to wear spiked collars.
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One report said that an older woman had received a deep wound to her head and was too weak to walk.
When the discovery of the tortured slaves became widely known, an angry mob of New Orleanians descended on the home.
Facebook.com / Delphine Lalaurie Mansion
According to news reports at the time, they "demolished and destroyed everything upon which they could lay their hands."
Delphine escaped by boat and lived the rest of her days exiled in Paris.
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But her character lives on in the popular show American Horror Story, where she was portrayed by Cathy Bates during season 3, which was set in New Orleans.

Did you already know about this terrible tale? What other ghost stories get your heart pounding? Let us know your thoughts. We love your feedback!

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