With haunted homes, mystery murders, vampires, and more, it's no secret that this is a pretty peculiar place. The city that we love so much is filled with not only a rich cultural history, but also a history of hauntings, crimes, and odd situations that are sometimes hard to explain. There are many famous conspiracy theories and superstitions around the world.
From skeptics of the moon landing to people believing Tupac and Elvis are still alive, conspiracy theories and superstitions have fascinated humans for centuries. Living here, we don't have to go too far to search for a good superstitious tale. From connections to the murder of JFK to voodoo potions, New Orleans has a number of interesting stories. Here's a dive into some of our favorite local conspiracy theories.
Casket Girls
Known as filles à la cassette (women with suitcases), the story of "the Casket Girls" is a New Orleans legend filled with exaggeration and mystery. Arriving in the new world during the 1700s, these French women were brought to be married off to the working men of the new colony. Due to the long trip and the lack of manpower, the women carried small casket shaped suitcases that were manageable enough for them to carry. Their strange suitcases with a blend of the already supernatural feel of old New Orleans opened the door for the rumor mill to conspire the legend of "the Casket Girls." While the tales came much later in time, the story of "the Casket Girls" being undead vampires still locked away in the Old Ursuline Convent, is a story still being told today.
Hurricane Katrina's Levee Failure
With every major tragedy comes a plethora of conspiracy theories and the Lower 9th Ward levee failure during hurricane Katrina is one that many people have questioned over the last decade. While the story is that the storm was powerful enough to destroy a landmass such as a levee, many people believe that there is more to the story. While some blame the poor structure of the levees pre-Katrina, others claim to have heard loud explosions during Katrina, insinuating that the levees were intentionally breached in order to save other areas of the city.
JFK's Assasination and NOLA
When it comes to local conspiracies, this one might be the most famous. There are many conspiracies behind the murder of former president John F. Kennedy, but the most famous is that New Orleans' born Lee Harvey Oswald either wasn't the shooter or didn't act alone. In fact, many of the theories point to New Orleans as the conspiracy's point of origin after a local attorney named Jim Garrison opened up an investigation into JFK's assasanation, leading to the prosecution of a local businessman. While the many layers of the investigation went unsolved, Garrison went on to write several books, with one being the primary source for the 1991 film, JFK.
The LaLaurie Mansion
Located at the corner of Royal and Governor Nicholls Street, the LaLaurie Mansion is considered one of the most haunted sites in the city of New Orleans. While more of a superstition than a conspiracy, most locals know the story of Maire Delphine LaLaurie, the wealthy yet very cruel slave owner. It is speculated that her cruelty conjured a number of dark entities still remaining in the mansion. While it's hard to gather proof of the hauntings, there have been several terrifying stories involving the infamous mansion. From the mysterious murder of a tenant (during its apartment era), to the plethora of tormented and terrified school girls (during its girls' school years).
Who Killed Huey P. Long?
In September 1935, Louisiana's former governor, Huey P. Long, was shot while leaving the state capitol in Baton Rouge. After dying a couple days later, the speculations into his alleged murder began to run wild. As the story goes, Huey P. Long had already felt death was near and at the night of his shooting, his accused assasinator was also murdered at the hands of his bodyguard. So what's the conspiracy in this? Well there are several, but the most common one is that some believe that the alleged assasinator was innocent and that the then senator (Huey P. Long) was killed by a stray bullet at the hands of his bodyguard.
Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau
Known as the Queen of Voodoo, Marie Laveau is by far one of the most famous names in the city of New Orleans. There are many superstitions tied to the Voodoo Queen. One is that she isn't actually buried in the tomb that holds her name, while another is that she lived so long that she pretended to be the daughter of herself. With all the stories behind the mystical Marie Laveau from her charms, ceremonies, and rituals, the story of her magical potions "gris-gris" is likely the most famous. Legend has it that not only did she sell potions for healing purposes but also dabbled in love potions, helping women with taming and gaining men.
