Lake Charles Museum Explores Southwest Louisiana's Haunted Histor

KNGT | Lake Charles, LA — October is here, and you know what that means. Ghosts, haunted houses, scary movies and folks trying to scare the daylights outta each other. But here's a question. What if some of those ghost stories ain't just stories? What if some of the places we drive past right here in Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana have a few stories of their own?

I ain't saying ghosts are real. I ain't saying they're not either. But if you've ever wondered about it, the Imperial Calcasieu Museum in Lake Charles has something going on that might be right up your alley.

Haunted Histories Comes to Lake Charles

The Imperial Calcasieu Museum, located at 204 W. Sallier Street in Lake Charles, has an exhibit called "Haunted Histories." And this ain't just a bunch of fake skeletons hanging from the ceiling. The exhibit digs into actual Southwest Louisiana history, old crimes, local legends, folklore and stories from folks who claim they have experienced things they couldn't explain. That's what makes this interesting to me.

Anybody can tell you a ghost story around a campfire. But when you start connecting those stories to places we actually know, places we've driven past hundreds of times, it gets a little different. Take the John Reid House at 504 Ford Street in Lake Charles. The stories surrounding that house reach back to the Great Fire of 1910 and include the tale of a prisoner's desperate escape. According to the exhibit, some believe pieces of that past may still linger around the property.

Then you've got the Calcasieu Courthouse. That's connected to one of the darker chapters in Louisiana history. Toni Jo Henry was executed there in 1942. She became the only woman Louisiana ever put to death in the electric chair. Over the years, stories have popped up about strange things happening around the courthouse. Folks have reported hearing laughter, seeing shadows and even smelling scents they couldn't explain.

Now listen. If I'm walking through an empty courthouse and somebody starts laughing when nobody else is there, Scotty is probably headed toward the nearest exit. I'm just saying.

The Stories Go Way Beyond Lake Charles. Once you get outside Lake Charles, Southwest Louisiana has plenty more strange stories. There's the old Gothic Hanging Jail in DeRidder. The place already looks like something Hollywood would build for a scary movie, except this one is real. Condemned prisoners were once held there, and some reportedly left behind poems about what they were facing. Through the years, visitors have claimed to hear whispers and strange sounds around the old spiral staircase.

Then there's Hyatt High School, an old WPA-era school building. At one time, it was full of students, teachers and everyday school noise. Today, stories surrounding the old place include unexplained sounds and voices.

Big Woods Cemetery has its own legends too. Some have called it one of Louisiana's most haunted cemeteries. Stories surrounding the property include an old church, repeated fires and strange things folks say they have experienced around the cemetery.

Then you've got Ellis Hill and Barnes Creek. Those stories get downright weird. We're talking mysterious lights that supposedly follow travelers, strange experiences with time and unusual things reportedly found in the woods.

That's the kinda stuff that'll have you checking the back seat on the ride home. Maybe There's Another Explanation. One thing I really like about this exhibit is that it doesn't just scream "GHOST!" at everything. Some strange things actually have possible scientific explanations.

The exhibit looks at things like St. Elmo's fire, foxfire, ball lightning and feu follet, also known as marsh lights. Think about somebody living in Southwest Louisiana 150 years ago. It's dark. And I mean DARK. No streetlights. No headlights. No cell phone flashlight. You're walking through the woods or across a marsh and suddenly there's a strange glowing light moving around in front of you. You'd probably have a story to tell when you got home too.

Southwest Louisiana Has Always Loved A Good Story. The exhibit also looks at how people handled death and mourning years ago. There are examples of Memento Mori traditions, including jewelry made with human hair, mourning wreaths and grave dolls. Yep. Grave dolls. That'll get your attention.

You'll also learn about the Old No. 7 Society, Louisiana's official TAPS Family Team. Modern paranormal investigators use different equipment and techniques to try to document unexplained activity, including EVPs, or electronic voice phenomena.

So, are there really ghosts hanging around Southwest Louisiana? I have no clue. But October seems like a pretty good month to go find out. Haunted Histories is at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, 204 W. Sallier Street in Lake Charles. Just remember one thing. If you hear somebody whisper your name and you're standing there alone...Don't call me. I'm already in the truck.