Saint Louis Cemetery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saint Louis Cemetery is the name of three Roman Catholic cemeteries in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The burials are in above ground vaults; most were constructed in the 18th century and 19th century. The above-ground tombs, required here because the ground water levels make burial impractical in New Orleans, are strongly reminiscent of the tombs of Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. The three cemeteries are relatively intact following Hurricane Katrina, although all experienced some flooding.
Contents |
[edit] Saint Louis #1
St. Louis Cemetery #1 is the oldest and most famous. It was opened in 1789, replacing the city's older St. Peter Cemetery (no longer in existence) as the main burial ground with a redesign of the city after a fire in 1788.
It is 8 blocks from the Mississippi River, on the north side of Basin Street, one block beyond the inland border of the French Quarter. It borders the Iberville housing project that was built over what was formerly Storyville. It has been in continuous use since its foundation. Due to crime risks, it is inadvisable for individual tourists to visit the cemetery on their own, but it can be safely visited with tour groups. Paid tours are given by various commercial enterprises and by the nonprofit group Save Our Cemeteries.
Homer Plessy - famous for the 1896 landmark Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court civil rights case - is just one of the famous people buried in St. Louis Cemetery #1. Marie Laveau can be found in the Glapion family crypt. Bernard de Marigny, the French-Creole playboy who brought the game of craps to the U.S. is there, along with New Orleans architect/planner Barthelemy Lafon and American chess champion Paul Morphy.[1]
Ernest N. "Dutch" Morial, the first African American Mayor of New Orleans, is buried here.
[edit] Saint Louis #2
St. Louis #2 is located some 3 blocks back from St. Louis #1, bordering Claiborne Avenue. It was consecrated in 1823. A number of notable jazz and rhythm & blues musicians are buried here, including Danny Barker and Ernie K. Doe. Also entombed here is Dominique You, a notorious pirate who assisted in the defense of the city against the British in the Battle of New Orleans. Andre Cailloux, African-American hero of the American Civil War is also buried here.
The cemetery received minor flooding during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and its tombs seemed virtually untouched by the storm when the water went down, aside from the brownish waterline visible on all structures that were flooded.
There are also many notable citizens of 19th and 20th century New Orleans laid to rest here. For example the tomb of Blessed Mother Henriette DeLille, who is a candidate for sainthood by the Catholic church, among others. St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana Founded 1824 Listed in National Register of Historic Places, 1975
Politicians buried here:
- Pierre Soulé (1801-1870) — of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La. Born in France, August 28, 1801. Member of Louisiana state senate, 1845; U.S. Senator from Louisiana, 1847, 1849-53; U.S. Minister to Spain, 1853-55; general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Died in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., March 26, 1870. Interment at St. Louis Cemetery No. 2.
- Charles Genois (c.1793-1866) — of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La. Whig. Mayor of New Orleans, La., 1838-40. Died August 30, 1866. Entombed at St. Louis Cemetery No. 2.
- Robert Brown Elliott (1842-1884) — also known as R. B. Elliott — of South Carolina. Born in Massachusetts, 1842. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from South Carolina, 1868 (alternate), 1880; member of South Carolina state legislature; U.S. Representative from South Carolina 3rd District, 1871-75. Black. Died in 1884. Interment at St. Louis Cemetery No. 2.
- Paul Capdevielle (1844-1922) — of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La. Born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., 1844. Mayor of New Orleans, La., 1900-04. Died in Bay St. Louis, Hancock County, Miss., 1922. Entombed at St. Louis Cemetery No. 2.
- Carleton Hunt (1836-1921) — of Louisiana. Born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., January 1, 1836. Nephew of Theodore Gaillard Hunt. Democrat. Served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; U.S. Representative from Louisiana 1st District, 1883-85. Died August 14, 1921. Interment at St. Louis Cemetery No. 2.
[edit] Saint Louis #3
St. Louis #3 is located some 2 miles back from the French Quarter, some 30 blocks from the Mississippi, fronting Esplanade Avenue near Bayou St. John. It opened in 1854. The crypts on average are more elaborate than at the other St. Louis cemeteries, including a number of fine 19th century marble tombs. Those entombed here include ragtime composer Paul Sarebresole and photographer E. J. Bellocq. St. Louis #3 also includes a Greek Orthodox section. It received heavy flooding during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, but its tombs escaped relatively unscathed besides some small amounts of plaster damage from debris.
[edit] References
- ^ Tour the Historic New Orleans Cemeteries. Retrieved on 2006-02-17.
