IN Other Words by Becky Slatten
EVEN THOUGH SEPTEMBER is still hot as blazes, it eventually ushers in glorious fall and the promise of alfresco dining and good hair days and, of course, Halloween. Though I usually conduct a paranormal investigation for this issue, accompanied by my sidekick and former editor, I had a little trouble finding a new haunted hotel to explore. With
Abita Springs’ Haunted Bakery
ghosts in seemingly short supply, I briefly considered camping out in the woods to try to catch sight of a bigfoot, but that would involve, you know, camping. Plus, I really don’t think I want to actually see a bigfoot close up … in the dark … alone, because there’s no way in hell I’m going to talk the editor into camping. So, as I researched all of the other paranormal creatures that are rumored to terrorize the state of Louisiana, I was forced to rule out zombies, vampires, werewolves and the rougarou for the obvious reason that they don’t exist. It was quite a quandary until my son and I drove past the Maple Street Bakery in Abita Springs and he casually mentioned that it was haunted; the story he heard was that of mysterious footprints appearing in a dusting of flour spilled on the floor. And just like that, the ghosts took the lead and my faith in the spirits was restored. The footprints in the flour, as it turns out, is merely local lore, but bakery owner Jan Liggett assured me that the building is indeed haunted. The house is more than 100 years old and once served as a convalescent home during an outbreak of yellow fever, among other things. Twice Jan has seen the apparition 76
Inside Northside
of an older man in the early morning hours as she began her day of baking. She once experienced the feeling of being pushed, and she’s grown accustomed to unexplained footsteps on the porch. Once, while looking for the gold paper she uses when boxing up her wedding cakes, she heard a noise in the kitchen. When she went to investigate, she found it lying on the floor in the middle of the room. “Whatever is here isn’t bad,” says Jan, but she did have another experience that was a little more chilling. She videoed a strange, unexplained little bubble floating in the kitchen until it popped; when she later watched the video, a low, evil-sounding laugh could be heard when the little bubble burst. Jan played the video for me, and I can personally attest to its creepiness. The tenant who occupied the house before the bakery moved in had a much more frightening haunting; in addition to doors opening and closing and chairs moving on their own, Jan recalls hearing stories of the police often being alerted to investigate the activated security alarm and actually witnessed the blinds going up and down on their own. Several paranormal groups have investigated the property, and Jan continues to receive calls from others requesting access to the house. “I just can’t allow them to spend the night for liability reasons,” she shrugs, but they still show up, sometimes with mediums in tow, to get in touch with whatever haunts the bakery. Once a priest came in to buy pastries, and in the middle of their conversation he just stopped and asked her, “Is this house haunted?” She nodded and he replied, “They’re trying to talk to me.” There are countless other ghost stories surrounding the haunted Maple Street Bakery, and Jan Leggett is as friendly a storyteller as she is an amazing baker. I can personally recommend her chocolate chip cookies and fruit tarts … they’re scary good.
