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Storyteller's Cabin |
The monument was made of red granite, topped with two flaming urns. A statue of a young woman bearing a wreath stood on the stairwell, touching the bronze door that led to Josie's future resting place. The tomb cost Josie a fortune, but the aggravation it caused the high society ladies was well worth the price.
Josie eventually passed away at age 50. A few years later, Storyville itself was shut down by the U.S. Navy, which was concerned about the effect it was having on its young sailors stationed in New Orleans. The brothels and bars were leveled to build a housing project. There is no sign today that Storyville ever existed.
But some believe that Josie Arlington stuck around long after the death of Storyville for one last bid for attention.
In the years after Josie was buried, rumors began to spread about strange goings-on at her grave. Curiosity-seekers who visited the grave ran back to town claiming they saw the urns on top of the tomb burst into flames before their eyes! Others saw an eerie red glow coming from the tomb at night, as if the granite walls were burning like hot coals. Josie's grave was soon nicknamed the "Flaming Tomb."
Of course, the symbolism of a red light on Josie's tomb was not lost on many folks. Another rumor spread that the statue of the young girl would bang on the door of Josie's tomb, trying to get in. But Josie would never answer, since she had always claimed that no girl had ever lost her virginity at the Arlington.
But the reports didn't stop there. Two gravediggers swore they saw the female statue walk away from her post and wander aimlessly amongst the graves before vanishing. Was she really the ghost of Josie, still unable to find a home within the high society world she craved?
As the stories spread, the cemetery became overrun with visitors wanting to see the strange events for themselves. The families of those buried in the surrounding graves were horrified at the thought of their loved ones being trampled upon. So the cemetery agreed to remove Josie's remains and bury them in an unknown location. The "Flaming Tomb" was sold to another owner, strangely enough with the same initials: "J.A."
But next time you travel to New Orleans, you can still find Josie's old tomb deep in Metairie Cemetery. And even though Josie may not have found the acceptance she wanted in life, I imagine she'd be pleased to know that folks are still talking about her to this very day. And that her name, like Storyville itself, would pass into the history - and mythology - that is unmistakably New Orleans.
Find out where this story came from in our cultural background page.
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