Ep. 54-The Flaming Tomb of Josie Arlington

We explore the fascinating story of Josie Arlington, the infamous madam of New Orleans' Storyville district and her legendary flaming tomb that continues to captivate visitors to this day.

• Josie Arlington was orphaned at age four and later became the most successful madam in New Orleans
• Storyville, created in 1897, became New Orleans' designated red-light district where Josie's high-class brothel thrived
• Despite her wealth and connections to powerful men, Josie remained socially ostracized by "respectable" society
• As her final act of defiance, Josie purchased an elaborate red granite tomb in the elite Metairie Cemetery
• After her death, witnesses reported seeing her tomb burst into flames at night, earning it the nickname "The Flaming Tomb"
• The supernatural phenomena supposedly stopped when her family moved her remains after squandering her fortune
• Metairie Cemetery at 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard is worth visiting, along with Sacred Grinds coffee shop nearby

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Sources:

Long, Alecia P. “Josie Arlington.” 64 Parishes, updated May 13, 2019.   https://64parishes.org/entry/josie-arlington.

Royal Tours New Orleans,  October 13, 2016, Josie Arlington: Storyville's most infamous madam, https://www.royaltoursneworleans.com/josie-arlington-storyvilles-most-infamous-madam

Michael DeMocker | October 8, 2019
https://www.verylocal.com/haunted-nola-the-wandering-statue-of-storyville-madam-josie-arlingtons-metairie-cemetery-tomb/13329/

Kane, Harnett T. Queen New Orleans: City by the River. New York: William Morrow & Company, 1949. (Book)

Chapters

• 0:00 Introducing Josie Arlington's Story
• 5:24 Josie's Journey to Becoming a Madam
• 10:40 The Rise of Storyville
• 16:20 The Flaming Tomb Legend
• 22:51 New Orleans Cemetery Adventures
• 27:38 Episode Wrap and Recommendations