Cemeteries

Along with Spanish moss and lacy iron balconies, the cities of the dead are part of the indelible landscape of New Orleans. Their ghostly and inscrutable presence enthralls visitors, who are used to traditional methods of burial -- in the ground or in mausoleums.

Why are bodies here buried above ground? Well, it rains in New Orleans -- a lot -- and then it floods. Soon after New Orleans was settled, it became apparent that Uncle Etienne had an unpleasant habit of bobbing back to the surface (doubtless no longer looking his best). Add to that cholera and yellow fever epidemics, which helped increase not only the number of bodies but also the infection possibility, and given that the cemetery of the time was inside the Vieux Carré, it's all pretty disgusting to think about.

So in 1789 the city opened St. Louis No. 1, right outside the city walls (which no longer exist) on what is now Rampart Street. The "condo crypt" look -- the dead are placed in vaults that look like miniature buildings -- was inspired to a certain extent by the famous Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. Crypts were laid out haphazardly in St. Louis No. 1, which quickly filled up even as the city outgrew the Vieux Carré and expanded around the cemetery. Other cemeteries soon followed and eventually were incorporated into the city proper. They have designated lanes, making for a more orderly appearance. The rows of tombs look like nothing so much as a city -- a city where the dead inhabitants peer over the shoulders of the living.

These little houses of the dead, in addition to solving the problem of below-ground burial, are even more functional. There are two types of crypts: the aforementioned "family vaults" and the "oven crypts" -- so called because of their resemblance to bread ovens in a wall. A coffin is slid inside, and the combination of heat and humidity acts like a slow form of cremation. In a year or so, the occupant is reduced to bone. As the space is needed, the bones are pushed to the back, coffin pieces are removed, and another coffin is inserted. In the larger family vaults (made of whitewashed brick), there are a couple of shelves and the same thing happens. As family members die, the bones are swept off the shelves into a pit below, and everyone eventually lies jumbled together. The result is sometimes dozens of names, going back generations, on a single spot. It's a very efficient use of cemetery space, far more so than conventional sweeping expanses of graveyard landscaping.

For many years, New Orleans cemeteries were in shambles. Crypts lay open, exposing their pitiful contents -- if they weren't robbed of them -- bricks lay everywhere, marble tablets were shattered, and visitors might even trip over stray bones. Thanks to local civic efforts, several of the worst eyesores have been cleaned up, though some remain in deplorable shape. A faux voodoo practice continues in some of the St. Louis cemeteries, where visitors are encouraged to scrawl Xs on the tombs. Please don't do this; not only is it a made-up voodoo ritual, but it also destroys the fragile tombs.

Though it may seem silly, concerns were high for the fate of the cemeteries during the disaster days, because they are such an important part of the New Orleans landscape. But "the system worked," as one local expert said; the tombs sailed through with no problem and only the same high-water marks on their sides borne by any other structure in the flooded areas.

For more information, we highly recommend Robert Florence's New Orleans Cemeteries: Life in the Cities of the Dead (Batture Press, 1997). It's full of photos, facts, and human-interest stories and is available at bookstores throughout the city.

Safety First -- You will be warned against going to the cemeteries alone and urged to go with a scheduled tour group. Thanks to their location and layout -- some are in dicey neighborhoods, and the crypts obscure threats to your safety -- some cemeteries can be quite risky, making visitors prime pickings for muggers and so forth. Other cemeteries, those with better security and in better neighborhoods, not to mention with layouts that permit driving, are probably safe. Ironically, two of the most hazardous, St. Louis No. 1 and Lafayette No. 1, are often so full of tour groups (though somewhat less so these days) that you could actually go there without one and be fairly safe. On the other hand, a good tour is fun and informative, so why not take the precaution?

If you're going to make a day of the cemeteries, you should also think about renting a car. You won't be driving through horrendous downtown traffic, you can visit tombs at your own pace, and you'll feel safer.

Some Cemeteries you Could see on Your Own -- If you decide to visit Cypress Grove and Greenwood Cemeteries, Metairia Cemetary, or St. Louis No. 3 on your own, please exercise caution. Take a cab to and from or consider renting a car for the day. Most of these cemeteries (such as St. Louis No. 3 and Metairie) have offices that can sometimes provide maps; if they run out, they will give you directions to any grave location you like. All have sort-of-regular hours -- figure from 9am to 4pm as a safe bet.