Marie Laveau’s House

Posted: 05.12.2025 | Updated: 05.21.2025

What lurks in the shadows of the home on St. Ann Street in New Orleans? The site where the newly constructed building sits was once the home of the infamous Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau. Today, the new building is visited by tourists and locals alike who wish to pay their respects to the voodoo priestess. But did Miss Laveau ever truly leave her New Orleans home?

A ghost tour through the mystical town of New Orleans is the best entertainment option for anyone curious about the dark and mysterious magic of The Big Easy. Prepare to learn all about the haunted history of this charmed Louisiana city by scheduling your tour with us at NOLA Ghosts today.

Is Marie Laveau’s House Haunted?

The home of former New Orleans resident Marie Laveau is believed to be one of the most haunted places in all of Louisiana. But why is this house haunted, and who was the mysterious woman who lived there?

The Magic of New Orleans

There were many historical figures to come out of the deep southern state of Louisiana. Known for being a hub for all types of witchcraft, magic, and Voodoo, the City of New Orleans is still the place to go if you are seeking spiritual guidance or would like to cast a spell or two.

While it may seem a little far-fetched to some, NOLA has a rich culture that is home to people with spiritual gifts and those who practice all forms of witchery and magic. Historians say it was because of the influx of slaves brought in from West Africa to colonial Louisiana around 1791. Many slaves came from Haiti, where Voodoo Kings and Queens are perceived to be on the same level as politicians.

Among all those who practiced voodoo during that time, Marie Laveau was believed to be the most popular Voodoo Queen of NOLA. Her practices and accurate predictions made her a reliable source even for the upper-class society in New Orleans, who rarely associated with those who practiced Voodoo rituals.

Who Was Marie Laveau?

There are few records about Marie’s past; she was illiterate, therefore no journal entries or other handwritten notes exist. The specifics of her birth date and other essential details are also obscure because she was a black woman living in the age of slavery, and few, if any, records were kept in such a racist and sexist society.

It is believed that she was born in New Orleans around 1801 to a free African woman named Marguerite Darcantel. While there are no documents showing who Marie’s father was, there are baptism records that led to the belief that her father was a wealthy, white politician named Charles Leveau.

The Widow Paris

Marie married a Creole man named Jacques Paris in August of 1819. Paris was an upper-class member of the Haitian revolution. Their marriage, however, was short-lived, and Marie began referring to herself as “Widow Paris” in 1824 after her husband mysteriously disappeared. It is uncertain what happened to Paris, but many believe Marie used a powerful voodoo amulet known as a gris-gris against him as revenge for his adulterous behavior.

She then met Jean Louis Christophe Duminy de Glapion, a white man who was a descendant of French nobles. They had several children together; however, they never married since interracial marriage was forbidden at the time. Unfortunately, some of their children died from the outbreak of yellow fever.

Glapion passed away in 1855, which left Marie with a household full of children to support. She also had the duty to offer support to her spiritual children within her community with help from voodoo rituals.  

Marie began working as a hairdresser to earn a living, and her clients were among the elite, high-society residents of NOLA. Her clients would gossip constantly as Marie styled their hair. She took in every devious secret she heard and was able to use the information as leverage over her clients. This also helped her to ‘predict the future’ for many of the elite in town, as she already secretly knew many key details about them.

The Voodoo Priestess

Marie Laveau was described by many as the Voodoo Priestess. Although she practiced voodoo, she was also a very devout member of the Catholic community. 

While the two beliefs may seem very different, Voodoo is actually a syncretic religion that borrows a lot from Catholicism. Things such as incense, rosaries, and sacrifices are shared in both forms of religion. And it is believed that Marie used practices from both Voodoo and Catholic traditions at the same time in her rituals.

Because Laveau was romantically involved with two wealthy partners in her lifetime, she gained a highly regarded position within the New Orleans Creole society. She would provide gris-gris to enslaved people for protection, take part in ceremonial dances in Congo Square while performing with a snake, and work as an herbal healer, treating members of her community. She was known by many as the Potion Mistress and could create potions to treat a variety of ailments, enforce revenge, or cause two people to fall in love.

According to the legend, she would administer poison to death row prisoners so that they would die peacefully before being taken to the gallows. It has also been said that she would prepare their last meal and pray with them before their death.

Marie Laveau’s Death

Marie Laveau died at her home on June 15, 1881, a few months before her eightieth birthday. Following her death, several New Orleans newspapers and even other publications like the New York Times published her obituary. 

While some misunderstood her practices, there were many who saw her as a noble and caring person who took great care of the sick and provided for anyone in need. She was a minister to prisoners and a dedicated member of the Roman Catholic church.

Marie is buried at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Every year, thousands of tourists and locals visit her tomb, adding spiritual gifts, candles, flowers, money, and even personal items to her final resting place.

The Home of Marie Laveau

There are several stories about how Marie Laveau obtained her home, which once stood on present-day St. Ann Street in New Orleans. Some locals say she obtained her home thanks to her voodoo skills.

It’s been said that a wealthy man asked Marie for help one day. His son was in jail, falsely accused of committing murder. The man asked Marie to help free his son, and in exchange, he would grant her a home on St. Ann Street.

To prepare for the upcoming trial, Marie spent several weeks praying to the Vodou loa spirits as well as to Catholic saints. While praying, she placed spicy guinea peppers in her mouth. 

The spirits saw her willingness to suffer for the mercy of the man’s son and heard her prayers. On the day of the trial, Marie placed guinea peppers under the judge’s seat. The man’s son was found innocent, and Marie gained ownership of her new home as promised.

The Haunting of Marie Laveau’s Home

Marie Laveau’s original home was torn down years after she passed and was replaced with a new structure in 1903. The new building is believed to be haunted by the spirit of the Voodoo Queen herself.

People who have visited the site of the Laveau home have reported feeling a sense of unease while outside. They have felt pressure against various parts of their body, such as their shoulder, as if someone was tapping them. When they turn to look, there’s no one behind them.

Visitors have also taken photos of the house and later found strange things in the images, such as blurred apparitions of people who weren’t present when the photo was taken. Many locals have also claimed to have seen the ghost of Marie walking around the property at night. It is believed by many that she still practices her voodoo ceremonies on the property.

Did Marie Laveau’s House Burn Down?

Early in the morning on May 19th, 2025, a fire torched the inside of 1020 St. Ann Street in the French Quarter. While the house built atop Marie Laveau’s original house remains intact, the backend of the home is a charred mess.

Owner of the Marie Laveau House Jody “Cajun Queen” Boudreaux remains unscarred, but at a great loss. Local relics such as a crown given to her by Bourbon Street legend Chris Owens have been lost in the fire.

The fire began at 4:00 AM and was extinguished by 6:31 AM. While the cause still remains unknown, the popping sounds heard by Boudreaux in her kitchen indicate an electrical fire.

However, there is more to this mishap than just poor wiring and old buildings. Some say that a curse has fallen upon New Orleans.

The Annabelle Doll and Cursed New Orleans

On May 13th, the infamous Annabelle doll arrived in New Orleans thanks to Ghost City Tours. What happened in the following days can only be compared to something out of a movie.

The doll came from the Warren Occult Museum as part of a cross-country tour. It is considered one of the most haunted dolls in the world and is said to be possessed by a demon. Ed and Lorraine Warren, the famed demonologists, acquired the doll after it tormented two nurses in 1970.

Ever since, they have pleaded that it never been released from their home and museum. But Annabelle is free, roaming the country where she please.

During her time in New Orleans, not only did Marie Laveau’s House catch fire, but a series of other strange events occurred.

Annabelle in New Orleans: The Results

• On May 16th, the Nottoway Plantation, one the largest plantations in the South, burned down.
• 10 Inmates escaped from a Correctional Facitility in New Orleans on the same day
• The folllowing day a garbage truck flipped over on the Carrollton Overpass
• Then, Marie Laveau’s House caught fire on May 19th

Were these events all merely a coincidence or did the strange and eerie powers within Annabelle cause this havoc?

Annabelle is on her way to San Antonio as of May 20th, 2025. While the the Crescent City releases a sigh of relief, we all watch her progress with baited breath.

Haunted NOLA

For centuries, New Orleans has had a reputation for being linked to dark magic, witches, and voodoo. There are countless legends linked to locations all throughout the city. Each one has a different story to tell. But all are sure to send a chill down your spine.

Learn more about the haunting historic figures of NOLA, like Marie Laveau, by booking a New Orleabns host tour with NOLA Ghosts. Be sure to check out our blog for tales of ghosts, dark entities, and all things that go bump in the night.

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Sources:

• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Laveau
• https://lewisrhystwiby.wordpress.com/2024/10/06/marie-laveau-the-voodoo-queen-of-new-orleans/
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEx-k8luYOo&pp=0gcJCfcAhR29_xXO
• https://blackgirlnerds.com/voodoo-queen-six-true-but-spine-tingling-facts-about-marie-laveau/
• https://www.marie-laveaux.com/introduction-1.html
• https://neworleanshistorical.org/items/show/1610
• https://voodooneworleans.com
• https://www.reddit.com/r/Ghosts/comments/rmzgb5/trip_to_new_orleans_turn_into_a_confusing_night/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/1ecg2ih/the_spirit_of_marie_laveau/
• https://www.neworleans.com/plan/itineraries/haunted/
• https://horroraddicts.wordpress.com/2020/03/25/haunt-jaunts-haunted-by-the-voodoo-queen-marie-laveau/
• https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/photos-a-look-inside-the-burned-french-quarter-home-at-the-site-where-marie-laveau/collection_6340a300-63a2-4479-85d4-b76a64b1ef75.html#8
• https://usghostadventures.com/haunted-stories/real-haunted-dolls-annabelle-robert-the-doll-and-lily/