The Haunted Bar That’s Been Around Since Before Louisiana Was Even A State
Louisiana certainly isn’t a stranger to the paranormal. From historic homes to spooky swamps and even haunted oak trees, the Bayou State is rich with ghostly tales of the paranormal. This one particular bar has a fascinating past, and it’s been around since before Louisiana was even a state. So next time you find yourself at this historic bar and you think you see something out of the corner of your eye, don’t be too quick to brush it off as just a side effect of that tasty beverage you’ve been sipping on.
Tucked away in New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar has been a French Quarter staple for centuries.
The building was built between 1722-1732 and is considered to be the oldest structure being used as a bar in the United States, and the building itself predates Louisiana’s statehood! Louisiana became a U.S. territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and was admitted to the union in 1812.
Between 1772 and 1791, the building is believed to have been used by the infamous Lafitte Brothers for their Barataria smuggling operations.
That’s right - criminal brothers Jean and Pierre Lafitte are believed to have used the property as a home base of sorts for negotiations with potential buyers of their smuggled goods and contraband items.
As with any old historic building in the French Quarter, there have been ghost stories floating around for years.
One of the most popular sightings is that of Jean Lafitte himself. He appears as a full bodied apparition, dressed in sailor’s gear and standing in a dark corner. He doesn’t say a word, just stands in the corner surveying the room until he is noticed, at which point he will disappear into thin air. He apparently appears quite often, and is a fairly common sighting for patrons and staff. Perhaps he is just keeping an eye on his old hang out spot, or perhaps he is guarding his lost treasure. He’s almost always seen on the first floor near the fireplace, so keep an eye out when you visit. That's not the only sighting near the fireplace, but more on that later…
Jean Lafitte is not the only spirit that has taken up residence in this haunted bar.
On the second floor, there is the spirit of a woman who many believe to have lived there in the 1890s before she committed suicide upstairs. While there are no written records to confirm this interesting backstory, there has been enough paranormal experiences to confirm that there is something up there. While she doesn’t show herself very often, you may hear her, as she is known to whisper your name into your ear. Creepy right?
There’s one more interesting paranormal sighting that is associated with Lafitte’s, and it may just send shivers down your spine.
It’s not an apparition. It’s not a creepy whisper. It’s much worse. In the shadows of the dark corners in the bar as well as inside the fireplace, many people have claimed to have seen glowing red eyes. These piercing red eyes just float, disembodied and silent. When you make eye contact with it, the eyes will lock in on you for a moment before disappearing into the shadows. Many believe that these red eyes are a result of a demonic haunting in Lafitte’s.
So, next time you find yourself at this popular watering hole, keep your eyes peeled and you just may have a paranormal experience of your own.
You can find Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar at 941 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116.
Have you ever had a paranormal experience at Lafitte’s or at other haunted spots in Louisiana? We’d love to hear all about your ghostly encounters in the comments below!
