The Mercantile Hotel
Haunted History
What sets this establishment apart from many others in the Big Easy is not just its beautiful architecture or luxurious amenities. Rather, it’s the shadows of the past that linger in its corridors and the hushed whispers of ghostly apparitions that have been sighted repeatedly. Is The Mercantile a haunted hotel in New Orleans?
We’ll let you be the judge.
From Sugar Refinery to Luxurious Hotel
Long before it took on the mantle of a lavish hotel, the building was home to the Henderson Sugar Refinery. This institution played a pivotal role in the bustling sugar industry of the city. For many, the refinery was more than just a workplace; it was a place where sweat, dreams, and aspirations blended, much like the molten sugar that flowed through its vast machines.
Like many industrial places of its era, the refinery witnessed its share of accidents, misfortunes, and tragedies. Over time, tales began to emerge of spectral figures seen wandering its vast hallways and rooms.
Workers often whispered of encounters with apparitions, believed to be the spirits of departed colleagues who once toiled alongside them in the sugar industry.
These spirits, it is said, still roam the halls, perhaps searching for solace or yearning for the camaraderie of their bygone days. Rather than eliciting goosebumps and screams, the ghostly encounters have routinely been described as startling but still “sweet”.
A Fatal Explosion
On December 2, 1948, the upper floors of the renowned Henderson Sugar Refinery, Inc. were shaken by a powerful explosion, leaving two workers with serious injuries.
August Voiron, a dedicated 43-year-old laborer, bore the brunt of the devastation, sustaining fractures in his right leg and arm, while enduring extensive burns from head to foot caused by scalding hot syrup. Ollie Soumas, a 41-year-old elevator operator, also felt the impact, suffering from burns inflicted by the hazardous incident.
The force of the blast was so tremendous that it ripped apart the bottom of a massive hot syrup vat, resulting in a harrowing 75-thousand-pounds of the liquid coursing through the building and cascading down the elevator shaft.
These spirits, it is said, still roam the halls, perhaps searching for solace or yearning for the camaraderie of their bygone days. Rather than eliciting goosebumps and screams, the ghostly encounters have routinely been described as startling but still “sweet”.
The unfortunate duo’s injuries were sustained when a filter on a sugar vat tragically exploded, triggering the catastrophic release of hot syrup down the elevator shaft, catching them inside the ill-fated elevator.
This tragic event remains etched in the history of the Henderson Sugar Refinery, recounting a tale of resilience, danger, and the haunting memories that linger within the refinery’s walls.
Unveiling the History of a New Orleans Icon
As the sugar industry evolved and the refinery eventually closed its doors, the structure underwent a magnificent transformation, reborn as The Mercantile Hotel. Yet, the stories of its haunted past did not fade away. Guests and staff alike have reported unexplained encounters—soft footsteps in the dead of night, hushed conversations in empty rooms, and fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures in corridors.
Visiting New Orleans, a city renowned for its hauntings and enigmatic stories, one would be remiss not to explore The Mercantile Hotel. The very fabric of the building seems to resonate with tales from a time long past. Yet, it’s not just the ghostly narratives that draw visitors.
This all-suite hotel boasts exposed brick walls and heavily beamed ceilings that beautifully ensconce a record player and vintage jazz records in every suite.
The hotel’s Confectionary craft cocktail bar remains an ode to the rich sugar cane history of both New Orleans and Louisiana at large.
haunted-hotel
The Cotton Candy Cocktail has become a Big Easy favorite and is worth a stop at this iconic NOLA watering hole all by itself. With every sip of a carefully crafted cocktail, one is transported to an era where sugar was the golden crop, and the city thrived on its sweetness.
The Mercantile
Hotel
As one immerses oneself in the surroundings, it’s hard not to feel the weight of history and, perhaps, the gentle touch of a bygone era, reminding us that the past is never truly behind us.
Book an unforgettable stay at The Mercantile Hotel today and get in touch with the stories that only a haunted hotel New Orleans can produce.