Six feet under...or not

The movie "Double Jeopardy" featuring Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones includes a scene that is filmed at the Lafayette cemetery in New Orleans. Already a fantastic movie, I became even more entranced when this scene introduced me to this unique cemetery. It was like nothing I had ever seen, with alleyways of mausoleums and shadowy nooks and crannies. Cemeteries are magical, mysterious, and moving to me. I like to visit cemeteries in every city, state, and country. They are peaceful and have so many stories to tell. 

When hubby mentioned the possibility of a trip to New Orleans, I agreed based solely on the fact that I would get to visit the New Orleans-style cemetery.

Hubby and I were able to visit the St. Louis #1 cemetery on Day 2 of our New Orleans adventure. We went solo, sans tour guide, even though a tour guide had been recommended. We were told that this cemetery is in a bad part of town and that muggers often hide in the shadows and target tourists.

This is the oldest extant cemetery in New Orleans, founded in 1789. Within its walls lies burials of immigrants, major figures from the Civil War, and individuals with living descendants. It is common practice to purchase plots in New Orleans cemeteries early on in one's life. 

The "Voodoo Queen" herself, Marie Laveau, is buried at this cemetery. When visiting this tomb it is common practice to leave offerings and mark the gris gris XXX's on the tomb.

 

The above-ground burial is believed to be due directly to the city's inherent water problems. When the city floods, they last thing they want is a flooded cemetery with floating bodies. That would be the case if bodies were buried underground.

 

Entire families are buried in "Family Tombs," which can be a sign of status and affluence.

Each family is responsible for upkeep of their tomb. Many of the ones we saw were practically in ruins.

Sometimes organizations or fraternal societies buried their members together in what are known as "Society Tombs."

Wall or oven vaults, less commonly seen in the cemetery, were used when interment tombs weren't available. It is very common to see expressive decorations on wall vaults as well.

We also visited Cypress Grove cemetery, at the end of the trolley line off of Canal Street.

Some of the offerings are what we in Durham would consider excessive but are quite normal in this style of cemetery.

I wish we had gotten to visit even more cemeteries, but we had many more things to do on this trip - like drink and eat.