Shreveport Louisiana
Logan Mansion
Disembodied voices can be heard at the mansion
Is clearly the residence of a spirit of a mischievous child.
Disembodied voices and other activity suggest this spirit child has spectral company too!
DESCRIPTION
The Logan Mansion is not a huge structure, but the decor and design makes it a historic gem. it seems bigger than it is in reality, and has a lot to offer. It has only 4,965 Sq feet; plenty of room for two people and for entertainment of friends and business affairs. There is no wasted space; outside and inside.
The decorative Victorian Logan Mansion has great street appeal with its lovely design features, including an upstairs Romeo and Juliet Balcony. It has two floors, a huge attic space that could count as another living area, (3rd floor) and a basement. It has 4 bedrooms, 2 full and 2 half bathrooms, which were added probably during the 118 year history of this house.
The 1897 Logan Victorian Mansion is stunning outside and inside as well. As the visitor walks up the steps, there is a fabulous wooden door and an impressive wooden decor around the door and porch area by the front door. The Logans designed a grand space outside for visitors before going into the grand foyer!
The woodwork is stunning in grand foyer, and throughout the house. Other amenities are pocket doors, 12′ ceilings, library, parlor, formal dining, den, huge walk up attic, stain glass and gorgeous fireplaces.
Billy and Vicki LeBrun owned Logan Mansion from 2005 – summer of 2019. The opened up their mansion to the public, having their own house tours, Halloween event, and having Murder Mysteries there as well.
HISTORY
Lafayette R Logan was born in 1844 in Shreveport, Louisiana, probably of French decent. He may have been the son or grandson of Robert F Logan and related to BF Logan. He grew up to be a very successful merchant, making a very nice living distributing beer and manufacturing ice; two necessities needed and appreciated by his fellow Shreveport citizens.
Lafayette married the love of his life, Lavenia Seay who was born in 1858 and came from a huge family with a lot of kids. Lavinia and Lafayette didn’t have any children that survived for long, or were unable to have children at all, which must of made them sad.
In 1897, Lafayette Logan had the money to build their dream home on Austin Place, in a very good neighborhood, not far from downtown. He hired architect Nathaniel Sykes Allen in 1897 to design their three story home with a lot of bells and whistles; a beautiful, well-designed home for the time.
Lavinia Seay Logan died in 1913 at the age of 54. Lafayette continued to live there as a widower and died 6 years later in 1919. The Logan home may have been inherited by either someone in the large family of Lavinia or a distant family member of Lafayette. Eventually, the beautiful Logan home was once again on the real estate market.
Besides being a private home, the Logan Mansion needed to be put to work, so it became a boarding house for teachers. At some point a church moved in, probably using the huge attic with a 15 foot roof as the sanctuary, the bedrooms as offices and perhaps as a rectory, with common areas perfect for meetings, and Sunday School.
Needless to say, the Logan Mansion was updated to meet the needs of the people and organizations who moved into this gorgeous structure. It was not allowed to become a woe-be-gone shabby fixer upper opportunity waiting an appointment with the wrecking ball.
At some point, a radio station moved into Logan Mansion; perhaps sharing the space with other commercial renters.
In 2005, the Logan House was in need of some TLC and was again on the real estate market “as is”. Billy and Vicki LeBrun took on the challenge and restored and renovated this historic gem; bringing it back to what it once was; Lafayette and Lavinia’s forever dream home.
Because it took a boatload of money and years of work to restore this grand old mansion, Mr. and Mrs. LeBrun also put the old mansion to work; offering tours; including a Halloween tour and Murder Mysteries there. They also opened up the huge attic for receptions, banquets and used smaller spaces for small parties.
Their tours were unique, in that not only did tour participants hear and see all the historical restoration projects, but they also had full access to all of the rooms, and spaces; done and not done yet. Vicki stated in an article on Louisiana Spirits weblog: “We go through the entire house, the attic and even the junk rooms that aren’t done,” she said. “People find that interesting to see where the house was, what we’re doing and what we’re going to do.”
The last projects done on Logan Mansion before Mr. LeBrun died, were putting on a new roof;(32K) and a HVAC system for 10 K.
In 2018, Billy LeBrun died. Vicki put the house back on the real estate market in May of 2019 because the maintenance is too much for one person, and Billy didn’t want Vicki to stay there by herself. The house sold in late summer of 2019. The new owners will continue the activities that Billy and Vicki started, and keep up the maintenance and restoration projects as well. The new owners will establish a new website, and facebook page.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
It is known that the child spirit who resides here was 11 year old Theodora Hunt, but three theories exist as to why her spirit is here.
Children who die in a structure where they felt love and had positive experiences, often like to stay there as spirits. If they die somewhere else, their spirit may also seek out their favorite spot in this world.
One story: Town legend tells the sad tale of a child, Theodora, who was the daughter of Dr. Hunt. Dr. Hunt may have been a widower, and was probably busy with his practice. Dr Hunt and Theodora were neighbors of Lafayette and Levina. Her home life may have been lonely, so she may have spent most of her free hours finding love and attention from the Logans, which probably made them feel better about being childless. Needles to say, she was welcomed! I’m sure that Dr. Hunt was grateful that the Logans could shine some happiness into Theodora’s life.
She may have been facing depression so bad that she couldn’t stand it anymore, and decided to take her life at a place where people were loving. She jumped out of the attic window and died; so the town legend goes..
Second Story: Her death certificate verifies her cause of death as being a heart attack on June 20th, 1904. If she had a serious medical condition, she may have not been able to sign up for school, depriving her of social interaction. Perhaps that is why she fell from the attic window or more likely, she could’ve had a heart attack in the the Logan’s huge attic, or may have even died at home. The Logan’s home was built in 1897, which works with this scenario.
Third Story: (The family of Theodora say that the first story listed above is not true. Ignoring her death certificate, they report that Theodora didn’t kill herself but lived to grow up to adulthood.) If this claim is true, then she still could be this child.
People who had a wonderful childhood at a place where they had love and support;{not necessarily the family home} but found being an adult a bit tougher, may decide after they leave this world to return to the happy times of their childhood, and appear as their child self in the place that they found a lot of fun and love. They relive their memories doing the activities they enjoyed, appearing as they were during this favorite time in their life.
I’m leaning toward the second story.
Whatever story is true, the spirit of 11 year old Theodora Hunt has been clearly identified as being the spirit seen at the old Logan Mansion.
MANIFESTATIONS
Spirit of Theodora Hunt
She is described by Billy and Vicki LeBrun as being sweet, but mischievous, doing little things to get attention. Vicki LeBrun reported that they don’t mind her antics, which was probably the same kind, lenient attitude that Lafayette and Levinia Logan had toward her while she was a living being.
She adores playing in the attic. Disembodied child’s giggles can be heard by the living.
She can open and closed doors; even a locked screen door. She has been known to lock Vicki out. Vicki scolds her, and the spirit calms down, but not for long.
She moves items and probably puts them in odd places so the living know she is there.
When workmen were doing some restoration work and a painting job, it was Theodora who took tools and the paint can lids.
She probably plays in the bedrooms as she did while alive, probably exploring items there.
A music box in one of the rooms began playing by itself.
She may like to look in jewelry boxes and make up bags.
She must be fascinated with electricity as most spirits are, probably plays with the lights, and anything electrical.
Perhaps she plays with the toilet paper rolls in the bathrooms… Perhaps the living hear her disembodied voice as she plays. Perhaps she likes to sing; perhaps she likes to watch the social events taking place in the mansion.
The Spirit of Theodora also may have another spirit or two keeping her company…
That is the hunch of Vicki LeBrun, former owner. Personal evidence suggest an adult spirit or two.
One adult female spirit is attracted to items that an 11 year old wouldn’t be interested in.
Silverware is examined by an unseen spirit., and reorganized.
A loud friendly disembodied voice, not a child’s.
When Vicki LeBrun was leading a house tour, a loud disembodied probably male voice behind them gave a warm friendly southern welcome; yelling “HEY!”
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes Indeed! The spirit of Theodora has a blast entertaining herself, gets the attention she still desires, and may not be as lonely as she was when she was alive. Perhaps two other spirits, a male and a female visit to keep her company. My theory is that the spirits of Lafayette and Levinia Logan are there with Theodora.
Probably past owners, Billy and Vicki LeBrun and visitors have had a boatload of experiences.
The first paranormal group that investigated The Logan Mansion was Lafayette Spirit Paranormal Investigators. While they didn’t catch anything their first time, other paranormal groups have caught hard evidence. For example, North East Louisiana Paranormal Investigators have posted their investigation on youtube.
The Logan Mansion is part of any haunted house tour exploring the downtown area.
LOCATION
Logan Mansion
725 Austin Place,
Shreveport, LA 7110
The Logan Mansion is located right across the street from the Ogilvie-Wiener Mansion, and jut one block over from Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. It sits on a property lot in the heart of historical neighborhood made up of mansions of successful, professional folks. Today the area is in the heart of the Downtown re-development. It is near the Oakland Cemetery as well.
SOURCES INCLUDE
- www.youtube.com
- hauntednation.blogspot.com
- www.findagrave.com
- www.theloganmansion.com
- pelicanstateofmind.com/
- www.shreveporttimes.com
- cottagesouvenirs.com
- Logan Mansion – www.theloganmansion.com
- pelicanstateofmind.com/
Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr
