The History of the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana

Myrtles Plantation is one of the most famous places in the world. This plantation in Louisiana is rumored to be one of the most haunted places in the world, but the history of the property is as interesting as any ghost story could tell.

A man named David Bradford built Myrtles Plantation in 1794. Bradford was a successful businessman in Pennsylvania who served as a Deputy Attorney General and made is money as an attorney and businessman. In the mid 1780's Bradford fell in love with a beautiful woman named Elizabeth Porter and the two were married in a lavish ceremony. The couple built an enormous estate in Pennsylvania, with the finest in decorations and accessories. By all intensive purposes the two had the perfect life. Then things changed.

According to legend, Bradford was involved in the Whiskey Rebellion. His part in this protest was so strong that he became a wanted man, and went on the run. On the surface it seems as though he ran to protect his family, but some would argue that he ran only to protect his own head. There is no telling what his punishment would have been, but a long prison sentence was a likely possibility.

Bradford ran to Pittsburgh, before finally heading south to St. Francisville, Louisiana. Bradford set about building a place where his family could safely live, and a place where they could start their life together again. After buying 600 acres, he had a house built and waited patently for his family to arrive. Bradford was pardoned by President John Adams, and immediately headed back to Pennsylvania. After spending a few days with his family, the group moved to the new house in the south.

To make ends meet, Bradford taught law classes and also served as a judge. The family occasionally took in boarders at the home they called Laurel Grove as well. One boarder was a law student named Clark Woodrooff who eventually married the couple's daughter Sarah. Woodrooff would later take over the operations of the plantation, after Bradford died.