(Back to Louisiana Haunted Index)
Old Absinthe House –
HauntedHouses.com
Haunted Place: Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House
ADDRESS:
240 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Web Site: oldabsinthehouse.com
LOCATION:
The 200 year-old Absinthe House Bar
has long been found on the corner of Bourbon Street and Bienville
Street.
Description:
"Everyone you have known or ever will know, eventually ends up at The Old Absinthe House"
"...But our business is with the heart of
things; we must go beyond the crude phenomena of nature if we are
to dwell in the spirit. Art is the soul of life and the
Old Absinthe House is the heart and soul of the old quarter of New
Orleans."
This two-story, Spanish-style building that
was constructed in 1806, is now owned by Tony Moran, who has
three different service businesses in this building, making good
use of its space. The outside of this building is very appealing,
in great shape, as is the inside of this classic New Orleans
structure.
Coming through the front door, the visitor
enters Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House Tavern.
On the first floor, the room in the front
is still the home of The Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House
Tavern. Its decor is a wonderful mix of the past and present.
Along with the antique chandeliers, an 1860s lovely
copper-colored wooden bar that can seat 50 patrons, marble
fountains and brass faucets, one sees jerseys and helmets of
beloved football heroes and legends, hanging from the
bar's cypress beams up above it all. The walls are
covered with business cards of their patrons. The walls throughout
this incredible building are covered in the framed photographs of
several of their famous patrons.
This original copper-colored bar was
recently returned in 2004, after it was moved out during
Prohibition. After a 3 million dollar restoration project done in
the tavern and restaurants, the bar once again is in its original
place in this tavern.
This tavern makes old favorite drinks the old fashioned way. Patrons
enjoy such drinks as there standard signature special, Absinthe
House Frappe (made with Herbsaint), Planter's Punch and Mint Julep.
Tony Moran's Restaurant, also on the
first floor, is located in the room at the back of the building. An
upscale establishment, it offers fine Northern Italian
Cuisine.
On the second floor is another upscale
restaurant called Jean Lafitte's Bistro, which serves the fine
flavorful New Orleans Cajun and Creole specialties. The
combination of the Hand painted murals and the early 19th century
art displays found in the dining room add so much
to the "old world elegance decor" enjoyed by the patrons, and
perhaps some visiting entities.
HISTORY:
This two story building was originally
built in 1806 by two Spanish Brothers, Pedro Front and Francisco
Juncadelia as their importing firm's headquarters and place of
business. They were very much like the neighborhood grocery
store, trading through the barter system, for food, tobacco
and Spanish booze. It is said the the second floor area is where
Jean Lafitte and Andrew Jackson planned the defense and victory
strategy for the upcoming battle with the British in the Battle of
New Orleans.
In 1815, the nephews of family member,
Senora Juncadelia, became the owners. The first floor was
transformed into a coffee house and saloon, called "Aleix's Coffee
House". In the 1860s, the business at this coffee house
sky-rocketed, after its saloon mixologist Cayetano Ferrer made a
new drink, The Absinthe House Frappe, using a
popular narcotic-like spirit, absinthe, which was very popular in
Europe. This drink became so popular, that the owners of this
coffee house changed their name to THE ABSINTHE ROOM. A special bar
was built to serve this drink; the copper-colored wooden bar
with its antique fixtures now seen in this tavern today.
Unfortunately, the side effects caused by
its narcotic elements could be serious, causing hallucinations,
delirium, madness and even death. Absinthe was outlawed as a
dangerous drug in 1912, but safe substitutes such as herbsaint are
used now.
However, it wasn't until the Prohibition era, that the authorities threatened to burn down the
building, to make them an example of what would happen to those
still serving absinthe. The bar owners quickly moved
their copper-colored wooden bar out of the building to a
warehouse in New Orleans, opening The Absinthe House Bar in the
warehouse. It wasn't until 2004, that this original
copper-colored bar came back to its original home.
THE ABSINTHE ROOM, eventually changed to
THE ABSINTHE HOUSE, and was the favorite pub of many famous
and well-known people, during its 200 year old history,
including Oscar Wilde, P.T. Barnum, Mark Twain, Jenny Lind, Enrico
Caruso, General Robert E Lee, Franklin Roosevelt, Liza Minelli and
Frank Sinatra. Indeed, the walls throughout this incredible
building are covered in the framed photographs of several of their
famous patrons.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:
It seems that many entities who enjoyed THE
ABSINTHE HOUSE building while alive, still like to visit in their
afterlife, perhaps reliving the good times they experienced in this
building.
MANIFESTATIONS:
Patrons and staff have had experiences with
such famous entities as Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Andrew Jackson,
"The Beast" Benjamin Butler, and even Voodoo Queen Marie
Laveau.
The entity most encountered seems to be
Jean Lafitte, especially on the second floor. The members of the
staff have many stories about this entity, who visits the tavern
area, and especially likes the Bistro on the second floor,
when he isn't checking out the living at his old Blacksmith
Shop.
Other paranormal activity experienced by
unseen, unknown presences.
Bar doors open and close by
themselves.
Moving bottles and glasses around the bar
area have been reported.
Chairs have the tendency to move back and
forth, like a group of entities get together after closing
hours.
STILL HAUNTED?
Seems to be the place that is as popular
with entities as it is with the living. Can't find any solid
evidence backing up the experiences of many people, but their
existence has been reported by many witnesses throughout the
years.
SOURCES INCLUDE:
RueBourbon.com - New Orleans French Quarter page
* HauntedNewOrleans.com - "The Most Haunted Bars in New Orleans"
|
