Background

Rampart Treehouse was formerly known as Red Truck Clubhouse. The Restaurant and bar opened their doors in 2018. The owner wanted to focus on art & fun, & that theme has been carried over the years.

Magnolia Tree History

Rampart Treehouse features a Magnolia Tree in the center of the venue. The owner of Red Truck added the tree because he once visited a restaurant in Cleveland that featured a sprouting tree in the center of the bar.

Paranormal History

Before becoming Rampart Treehouse which is a hub for pizza, art, and booze, the location was once a pharmacy in the 1930s called “Bel-Vue Drugs” formerly 1038 St. Ann Street. Numerous publications and websites detail one of the most haunting stories surrounding Marie Laveau. The account dates back to the 1930s about a customer sitting in a drugstore in the French Quarter near the Saint Louis Cemetery No.1, The story is as follows:

The customer, an African American named Elmore Lee Banks, saw the pharmacist suddenly drop a bottle of pills, run back to the storage area, and quickly bolt the door behind him. A well-dressed elderly woman had just come through the door. She began laughing hysterically and sat next to Elmore. After regaining her composure she asked politely, “Do you know who I am?”

“No mam I don’t,” he responded.

She asked again. “Do you know who I am?”

“No ma’am I don’t. I’m terribly sorry!”

Disappointed with the man’s answer she slapped him in the face and quickly reached into the black bag she was carrying. Before he could turn away from her she pulled out a pinch of brownish powder and flicked it into his face. Overcome by the powder’s strong odor, the man fell to the floor and lost consciousness.

Waking up a minute later, he looked up and saw the woman floating up to the air and gravitating slowly toward the front door. She floated out the door, up over the power lines, and towards St. Louis Cemetery No.1. He went back inside still trembling and accused the pharmacist of drugging him. The pharmacist denied the man’s allegations and told him he encountered the Voodoo queen, Marie Laveau.