Adelaide Leduc was born to a wealthy family in New Orleans in the late 1800’s. As a young lady, she began studying VooDoo under the daughter of Marie Laveau. One day, she met and fell in love with a handsome man named Henry Brule. The romance was short lived once Addie realized he was only interested in her family’s money. Heartbroken, she turned to voodoo. She cast a spell on Henry who came to suffer a terrible illness. Following his ghastly death, Addie was to go to trial for his murder. Because of their wealth and influence, her family was able to sneak her out of New Orleans to escape the certain death of the legal system.
Addie set her new life up in a quaint town known as Fort Smith, Arkansas. Still a beautiful woman young in years, she gained the attention of several suitors but was never able to heal her broken heart. She also gained political power which allowed for the overlooking of her lavish parties where she often served bootleg hooch and danced the nights away to the latest crooners.
Though her New Orleans’s past was not known, the town people openly allowed Addie to practice her voodoo on her property. In fact, there were many prominent citizens who called on her regularly for help with finances or love or health. She helped everyone and everything that came to her door. Though she was surrounded by people, she was actually very lonely. Having never married, she had a particular fondness of animals. Over the course of her life she took in many strays and they became her family, filling the hole left in her heart many years ago.
Later in life, she became preoccupied with death. She could be seen late at night performing rituals alone amongst her pets. She made a special cemetery in her rose garden for her beloved pets and promised each of them that they would never truly leave her side.
After her death in the 1950’s, she was buried alongside her animal companions. Her rest would be disturbed shortly thereafter when a developer bought the land in the 1970’s to build a subdivision. As part of the arrangement with the city, he agreed to move not only Addie’s grave, but also those of all her pets. But the developer didn’t want to spend the money to relocate the deceased, so he just moved their headstones. Terribly upset by the disturbance of her resting place Addie exacted her revenge. The developer died in the early 80’s from mysterious circumstances which are still unsolved to this day.
Keeping her promise to her pets, they have never truly passed and can still be heard roaming the grounds that were once the rose garden. On occasion a dog or cat may be seen hanging around the old cemetery waiting for Addie. Will she ever show up?
The unsuspecting home owners living in this subdivision have experienced strange happenings. Lawn ornaments mysteriously disappear, solid brick mailboxes crumble and fall for no apparent reason and lively parties and music can be heard throughout the night. Though called numerous times, the police insist there is nothing going on, but the residents know better. They keep a watchful eye out for Addie and they are learning to live with her and her pets. Not wanting to anger the Voodoo Priestess, they often leave offerings of dog treats or bowls of milk. Enjoy the gardens, but please watch your step and keep your eyes open.
