The term memorate was first coined by Carl W. von Sydow in 1934 to describe a story about an encounter with ghostly phenomenon. Folklorists who study memorates look for particular elements in those stories that exist in other, similar stories. One common category of the memorate is that of the urban legend. Made popular by Dr. Jan Harold Brunvand, urban legends exist in urban settings, such as university campuses. They often contain similar aspects, such as the tragic death of a student or the catastrophic event that caused a dorm room to become haunted.
Small, sleepy towns, such as Natchitoches, are known for their folklore and for their legends. Many people who have visited various locations in Natchitoches have reported encountering something they just can’t quite explain. If you have a story, photo or recording you would like to share with us, please consider adding to our contributions page.