Drive-By
Roadside Tower Viewing
View the lone Taylortown bell tower from US-71 near where it meets LA-527; the structure sits on private land across the railroad tracks.
- Duration:
- 20 min
Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domain Other Dark Tourism Site
Taylortown Tower
A lone brick bell tower along US-71 near Elm Grove, all that remains of the 1900s Taylortown Methodist church, the subject of a long-told legend about a grief-stricken bride and a tolling midnight bell.
US Highway 71 at LA-527 (Taylortown), Elm Grove, LA 71051
Research updated September 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
No admission; the tower is viewable from the public roadway but stands on private property.
Access
Limited Access
Open field beside the highway and railroad tracks; the structure itself is fenced/posted private property.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1907 · Last surviving element of the early-1900s Taylortown Methodist Episcopal Church · A landmark ruin of a vanished Bossier Parish plantation village · One of the most-recognized roadside curiosities in the Shreveport-Bossier region
Taylortown is a small former plantation community in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, sitting along US-71 between Moon Lake and Red Chute Lake, not far from Elm Grove southeast of Shreveport. In the first decade of the twentieth century a Methodist Episcopal congregation built a brick church there; sources vary on the exact date, with figures ranging from the 1890s to a Shreveport Times account citing a dedication on March 4, 1911, and a commonly repeated build date of 1906-1907.
Through the early twentieth century the church served the Taylortown community, but as membership declined the building was eventually abandoned. At one point the disused structure was used to store hay as a barn. It later caught fire — accounts differ on whether the blaze was accidental or deliberate — and the church was destroyed except for its sturdy brick bell tower.
Today that lone tower stands in an open field on the left side of US-71 (heading south) across the railroad tracks, near the highway's junction with LA-527. It has become one of the best-known curiosities of the Shreveport-Bossier area, regularly featured by regional news outlets and folklore writers. The tower and the land around it are private property, posted against trespassing, but the structure is plainly visible from the road.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylortown,_Louisiana
- https://bebossier.com/2021/11/22/taylortown-history/
- https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/look-history-mysterious-taylortown-town-090723669.html
A tolling bell heard on moonlit nightsA woman's scream carried across the fieldApparition of a bride associated with the tower
The Taylortown Tower is the anchor of one of Northwest Louisiana's most enduring ghost-bride legends, retold by regional outlets including KTAL News, 710 KEEL, K945, and Southern Gothic Media. In the best-known version, a young bride waited at the church for her fiance, who was killed in an accident on his way to their wedding. Overcome with grief, she is said to have either fallen down the bell-tower stairs to her death or hanged herself in the belfry.
Versions differ in their details: a 1980 newspaper account framed the story as an oral tradition in which a local man built the church for his daughter's wedding, only for her fiance to be killed in a war, after which she hanged herself in the belfry. The variation in the tale — accident versus war, fall versus hanging — is itself a hallmark of folklore passed down by word of mouth rather than documented event. No historical record confirms a specific bride's death at the tower, and the legend should be understood as community folklore rather than fact.
What the tellers agree on is the haunting itself: on moonlit nights, visitors claim, the long-silent bell tolls and a woman's scream carries across the field. The lonely silhouette of the tower against the sky has kept the story alive for generations.
Notable Entities
The Bride of Taylortown (folklore figure, unnamed)
Media Appearances
- Featured by KTAL News, 710 KEEL, K945, and Southern Gothic Media
Plan Your Visit
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taylortown Tower family-friendly?
A roadside ruin tied to a melancholy ghost-bride legend; safe and atmospheric for a daytime drive-by, but the surrounding land is private. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Taylortown Tower?
No admission; the tower is viewable from the public roadway but stands on private property. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Taylortown Tower wheelchair accessible?
Taylortown Tower has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Open field beside the highway and railroad tracks; the structure itself is fenced/posted private property..