The Casket Girls of New Orleans: Vampire Legend or Dark Colonial History?
About this episode
This episode explores the chilling legend of the Casket Girls of New Orleans and its ties to vampire lore and colonial history.
In 1728, a group of young women arrived in New Orleans carrying small wooden chests known as cassettes—but over time, their story evolved into one of the city’s most chilling legends. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, we explore the real history behind the Casket Girls of New Orleans and how it became tied to vampire lore. Sent from France to stabilize the early colony, these women were housed at the historic Ursuline Convent, one of the oldest buildings in the Mississippi Valley. Historical records confirm their arrival, their role in colonial society, and the structured marriages that followed. But over time, language shifted—cassettes became “caskets”—and the story took on a darker tone. Local legend claims the convent’s third-floor windows were sealed to contain something brought over with the girls. While historians attribute the closed shutters to preservation and architecture, visitors continue to report eerie sensations, shadowy movement, and unexplained sounds near the upper levels. Is it just folklore built on misunderstood history… or something more? This episode blends documented colonial records, linguistic evolution, and modern accounts to explore one…
More episodes of The Strange History Podcast
- Moon River Brewing Company Haunting: Savannah’s Most Aggressive Ghost Stories
- Bluebeard: The Dark Fairy Tale That Was Never Meant for Children
- The Myrtles Plantation Story: History, Legends & Sightings
- Hotel Monteleone Haunting: The New Orleans Hotel Where Guests Never Leave
- Sorrel-Weed House Haunting: Savannah’s Most Documented Paranormal Home
- Savannah’s Underground City: The Hidden History of Factors Walk & River Street
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Strange History Podcast podcast page.