THE FRENCH QUARTER CURIOUS OBSERVER

TFQCO collects tales of hauntings, murders and strange happenings across the Southern climes but with an emphasis on Nouvelle-Orléans. Along the way I share photographs, interviews with interesting people and offer sundry reviews.

[tfqco]

Ritual is an existentially important facet of the good life. In New Orleans, the good life is an easy pursuit and capture as the necessary accoutrements are in ready supply and reach. Heaven has nothing on the Big Easy.

[tfqco]

Nouveau Orleans has achieved a cultural singularity that transcends the meager bonds of space time, history, and the pantheon of unique personages that have inhabited its existential frame. N’awlins exists as a ‘thin place’ of metaphysical conjunction where Eros is loosed and remarkably unconstrained.

[tfqco]

Louisiana is home to a variety of strange creatures. They haunt the bayous, hamlets, waterways and the forests. No matter where you venture in the exotic confines of the state you are apt to run into these creepy denizens of the night. And that will be decidedly...unpleasant for you.

[tfqco]

Madam Lalaurie was a monster. She tortured, dismembered, and murdered the black slaves that had the great misfortune to be under her ownership. No cruelty was beyond this evil woman. In an age of casual brutality towards slaves she shocked even the senses of her contemporaries.

Things came to a head when a fire broke out at the residence on April 10, 1834 and it was then that the citizens of New Orleans became fully aware of her depredation as several slaves were found in terrible and neglected shape. Outage ensued. The citizenry laid siege to her residence. Madame Lalaurie and her family members escaped during the chaos never to be found or heard of again according to popular legend. It was only after the New Orleanians gained entrance to her mansion did they discover the secret chamber of horrors and the tortured souls within.

Many of the details concerning Madam Lalaurie and the treatment of her slaves over the decades have been questioned. As to her escape, there is some documentation that she made it to France and died there on December 7th, 1849. In the 1930s a sexton of the St. Louis Cemetery #1 discovered a copper plate with an inscription indicating that a Marie Delphine Mccarty was buried within the confines of the cemetery.

[tfqco]

Faulkner’s House Books, owned and operated by attorney Joseph J. DeSalvo Jr., is a French Quarter treasure. Upon its walls reside rare tomes, collectible editions from the giants in Southern literature as well as books by and about William Faulkner. The shop exudes the fullness of Southern charm. By the way, Pirate’s Alley is reportedly the most haunted section of the French Quarter.

[tfqco]

The Museum of Death was founded in 1995 by JD Healy and Cathee Shultz. The ‘animating’ idea behind the museum was to acquaint the public with death. They have succeeded wildly. Death oozes from every space looking to ensnare you in its sticky, unforgiving and permanent embrace.

[tfqco]

The AXEMAN of New Orleans threw the city into a panic. The killer went after men, women and children. A motive was never discovered nor was the killer. Since 1919 several authors have purported to have unmasked the killer but as of yet no one advanced has ticked all the boxes. So 100 years later the AXEMAN of New Orleans still remains a mystery.

[tfqco]

Ain’t no other place like it anywhere. New Orleans is one of a kind.

[tfqco]

The NOLA ghosts are not in the least bit bashful as you will discover. Whether famous, infamous or little known they are all eager to make your acquaintance...when you least expect it.

[tfqco]

Nouvelle-Orléans: A place filled with magic, strange rituals and restless spirits both live and departed. I am captivated by her charms and utterly under spell.

[tfqco]

Consider TFQCO the Orleanian Trinity: Nouvelle-Orléans-French Quarter-and Rue Bourbon. Ain’t nobody like it anywhere.