Like most places in this world, Louisiana has its own storied past when it comes to the paranormal. Nearly every city, town or village has some sort of spook tale that ignites the imagination.

In St. Martinville, Louisiana Spirits recently came in to check out an old house to determine whether it might be a place where folks who have passed from this world come back for a visit, or maybe they’re just hanging out because they like the neighborhood.

St. Francisville is probably one of the most noted places for Louisiana ghost stories. Objects moving about or put in places they weren’t. Strange sounds are heard. It’s the same in many antebellum homes in the South.

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In Vacherie, there’s the famous Oak Alley Plantation Home with the allegations that one of the home’s mistresses still keeps residence there. Some allege she has been spotted in a mirror. The lesser-known Laura Plantation, which is supposed to be the place where the Uncle Remus stories began, is supposed to have one of its owners still on the grounds.

In Raceland, it is believed by some that the slaves of the area were hanged in an oak tree near the intersection of U.S. 90 and Louisiana 308. Their ghosts remain in and around the tree, some believe.

Along the stretch of old U.S. 90 between Des Allemands and Paradis, there is dead man’s curve. Lots of communities have a dead man’s curve. This legend alleges that a woman who died in an auto wreck in the curve haunts the railroad tracks nearby. She is supposed to be luminescent and carries a light with her. Now, I’ve often wondered if it’s a woman who haunts that area, shouldn’t it be called dead “woman’s” curve? If this specter died in dead man’s curve, why does she walk along the railroad tracks? And if she is illuminated, why does she need to carry a light?

In the old days, unexplained things could quickly become phenomena.

Now, with all of the fancy electronic equipment, we are supposed to be able to determine whether these are spooks or just overactive imaginations.

But, many tourist attractions can use the ghost stories as interesting tidbits that tease the visitor and at least for a moment allow them to wonder whether the noises come from a disembodied spirit. It’s entertainment.

Although I don’t believe in ghosts, I do believe that this worldly life is not our only existence. I hold traditional Christian beliefs of what happens after people die. I do, however, find it entertaining when people look for the paranormal with such expectation.

I don’t discount their beliefs. For example, I have a friend who was convinced his home was haunted by the woman who once lived, and possibly died, in his house. His claims that as long as he slept on the couch when his wife wasn’t home, the ghost didn’t bother him. Yet, the specter didn’t bother his wife at all.

When I asked the wife whether she believed her husband, her answer was simple: Yes, he believes that her husband is convinced the house is haunted, but she didn’t believe it.

Many people are interested in things like this. In fact, our story about the ghost hunt in St. Martinville, was the most-read story on our Web site as of about 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Whether you refer to them as spooks, specters or ghosts, oftentimes it is the imagination that is doing the haunting.

JEFF ZERINGUE is managing editor of The Daily Iberian. He can be reached at iberianedit@bellsouth.net.