The Casket Girls of New Orleans - truth or folklore?
In the heart of New Orleans, a city renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and mystical allure, lies a tale steeped in mystery and intrigue — the story of the Casket Girls.
This legend goes back to the city’s early colonial days, creating a story that has both fascinated and puzzled generations. The Casket Girls’ arrival and subsequent seclusion in a convent have given rise to dark rumors, suggesting that these young women were not mere immigrants but vampires.
In the early 18th century, New Orleans was a growing French colony. To sustain and grow the settlement, it was essential to establish families and a stable community.
However, the predominantly male population presented a significant challenge. In response, the French government devised a plan to send young women from France to marry the settlers and help populate the colony.
These women, known as the “Filles à la Cassette” or “Casket Girls,” were carefully selected from orphanages, convents, and impoverished families.
They were given a small chest, or “cassette,” containing their belongings and a dowry, hence the name “Casket Girls.” The plan was noble in its intent, but it soon took a dark turn as rumors and suspicions began to swirl around these new arrivals.
The voyage from France to New Orleans was arduous and fraught with danger. The young women faced the perils of rough seas, disease, and the uncertainty of what awaited them in the New World. When they finally arrived in New Orleans in 1728, their arrival was met with both excitement and trepidation.
The Ursuline nuns, who had established a convent and school in the city, took in the Casket Girls. The nuns were tasked with caring for the girls and preparing them for their new lives. The girls were housed in the Ursuline Convent, a grand structure that still stands today as a historical landmark.
On our visit to New Orleans last year we stayed just around the street from the Ursuline convent — and we too looked into those top windows wondering why they would be locked after all of these years if the stories were not true?
As the Casket Girls settled into their new home, the city buzzed with gossip and speculation. The sight of these pale, delicate young women, dressed in their simple yet elegant attire, sparked the imaginations of the locals. Their arrival coincided with a series of strange occurrences that further fueled the rumor mill.
New Orleans was no stranger to superstitions and folklore, and the Casket Girls quickly became the subject of dark tales. It was whispered that the girls were not human but vampires, brought to the city under the guise of prospective brides. The strange happenings in the city only seemed to confirm these fears.
Soon after the Casket Girls arrived, residents began to report unusual and unsettling events. Animals were found drained of blood, and mysterious deaths plagued the city. People spoke of shadowy figures seen moving at night and of ghostly apparitions that haunted the streets.
The most chilling reports came from the convent itself. The nuns claimed to hear strange noises at night — whispers, footsteps, and even the sound of caskets opening and closing. It was said that the Casket Girls were seen wandering the halls after dark, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.
These eerie accounts spread like wildfire, and fear took hold of the city. The Casket Girls, who had come to New Orleans with the hope of starting new lives, found themselves at the center of a terrifying legend. The nuns, fearing for the safety of the girls and the sanctity of the convent, took drastic measures.
In an effort to protect the girls and dispel the rumors, the Ursuline nuns decided to lock the Casket Girls away in the convent. The shutters were nailed shut, and the doors were securely barred. The girls were confined to their quarters, allowed outside only under strict supervision.
This seclusion only served to deepen the mystery and suspicion surrounding the Casket Girls. The lack of visibility and the continued strange occurrences in the city led many to believe that the nuns were hiding something sinister within the convent walls.
The legend of the vampire Casket Girls grew, and the convent became a place of fear and fascination. People avoided walking near the convent at night, and the building took on an aura of the supernatural. The Casket Girls, once seen as the hope for the colony’s future, were now viewed as harbingers of doom.
As years passed, the city of New Orleans continued to grow and evolve. The original Casket Girls either married and integrated into the community or returned to France. However, the legend persisted. The Ursuline Convent remained a focal point of the vampire tales, and the story of the Casket Girls became an integral part of New Orleans’ folklore.
Historians and researchers have since tried to separate fact from fiction. The strange occurrences that plagued the city during the Casket Girls’ arrival can likely be attributed to the harsh realities of colonial life — disease, animal attacks, and the fear of the unknown. However, the romantic and eerie nature of the vampire legend has proven too captivating to fully dispel.
Today, the Ursuline Convent stands as a testament to the city’s rich and complex history. It has been meticulously preserved and is open to the public as a museum.
Check out our YouTube video of the visit we took of the Ursuline Convent whilst in New Orleans here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaU-93a3abs
The story of the Casket Girls of New Orleans is a compelling example of how myth and reality can intertwine to create a lasting legend. While the true nature of the girls remains a subject of debate, their impact on the city’s cultural narrative is undeniable.
The Casket Girls came to New Orleans seeking new beginnings, but instead found themselves at the heart of a dark and enduring legend. Whether seen as victims of superstition or as figures of folklore, the Casket Girls will forever remain a part of New Orleans’ mysterious past.
Take time during your visit to head to the Ursuline Convent to walk in the steps of the Casket Girls. You cannot go up the stairs to where their rooms are.
You cannot wait outside their locked doors and listen in to hear if there is anyone inside.
But, you can stand out the front and look up at the locked windows and wonder, as we did, if the Vampire Girls are still up there.
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