Haunted History in Crowley, Louisiana
The town "Where Life Is Rice And Easy" has two haunted buildings and a Haunted History Alive Guided Tour of downtown
Originally shared in the 2023 Aug-Sep issue of Acadiana Profile, the following has been updated with new information.
Crowley’s motto may be “Where Life Is Rice And Easy” (it’s in the middle of rice country), but it’s also considered one of Acadiana’s most haunted towns.
1 | Crowley Motor Co. & Ford Building
History Lesson
The old Ford Motor Company building, built in 1920, is now home to four city-run museums: The Ford Automotive Museum, the Rice Interpretive Center, Crowley City Hall & Museum and J.D. Miller Music Recording Studio, where native musician J.D. Miller wrote the hit single, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” and recorded it with Kitty Wells. Some claim it’s haunted, but no one knows by whom. Maybe Wells?
2 | Grand Opera House of the South
Be Entertained
Celebrities have visited Crowley to perform in the Grand Opera House, from Clark Gable and Enrico Caruso to appearances by Babe Ruth and former Gov. Huey P. Long. The 1901 elaborate theater still used today also houses a few who refuse to leave once the stage lights dim. Folks have witnessed a woman in white, children and a 6-foot man — none of them alive.
3 | History Alive Guided Tour of Historic Downtown Crowley
Ghost Lesson
Acadia Parish librarian and archivist Claire Doré gives visitors an historic tour of downtown every fall — and her stories naturally include a ghost or two. “Crowley was kind of a Wild West town, so we have a unique history.” If you’re lucky on the History Alive Guided Tour, you’ll get a glimpse inside the historic Rice Theatre, said to be very haunted, Doré claims.
Crowley Motor Co. & Ford Building
425 N. Parkerson Ave., Crowley
Webpage
Grand Opera House
505 N. Parkerson Ave., Crowley
Website
Haunted History Alive Guided Tour
Tickets available at the link below
Webpage
