New Orleans Cemeteries

I really never gave much thought about New Orleans cemeteries. I pass them all of the time, because they are located along major streets, and, therefore, easily seen. There are six clustered at the end of Canal Street, which is a major bus transfer point (there was a saying, "take the Canal Streetcar to the cemeteries...").

I always knew that our burials were necessarily different because or our high water table. But, it was just about a decade ago that I realized the fascination that tourists have for visiting and making photographs of our "above the ground" tombs and unique cemeteries. "Cities of the Dead", some call them.

A curiosity indeed, in today's world, but this is the remnant of a necessary solution to the problem of burying wooden caskets, filled with air, in an area where one found water less than two feet from the surface. In the early days of New Orleans, it was often necessary to bore holes in the caskets, and load them with rocks and sand bags to get them to stay put. Even so, a good New Orleans rain would cause some of them to pop right out of the ground.

The custom remains today, more because of tradition, because most of the New Orleans swamps and marshes have been drained, and the land reclaimed. One must now dig five or sixfeet to reach water. The biggest problem that we have today is preserving and maintaining the tombs, some of which are over 250 years old. Of course, because of this unique tradition, the tombs attract tens of thousands of tourists, and armies of photographers each year.

The Save Our Cemeteries organization is trying to do just that. One project in the works is an effort to create a database of the New Orleans Cemeteries, with photographs and listing of each tomb, and the names of the occupants. This would be a tremendous aid for those trying to locate a relative, or research a family tree.

Tips For Visiting Cemeteries

Our cemeteries are literally small stone cities. These little cities make great places for thieves and robbers to hide. Additionally, the neighborhoods in which some cemeteries are located have deteriorated to a point that they make travel to and from a cemetery quite unsafe. Unfortunately, we have had visitors to the city become crime statistics because they ventured into the wrong place at the wrong time. Some tips to make your visit to our cemeteries safer:

• Travel with a tour group.
• There's more to the saying "safety in numbers" than just words. Not only will your journey through our cemeteries be safe, it will be informative as well. Several tour companies offer both bus and walking tours of our cemeteries.
• Take a driving tour.
• This is the safest thing you can do short of joining a tour group. With the exception of the oldest cemeteries, most are easily accessible by car. You can drive through, get an understanding for what the whole New Orleans cemetery thing is about, and get out again without putting yourself into a threatening situation.
• Visit cemeteries during the middle of the day.
• Sunset, twilight, and full moons may be the best time for magickal workings and voudoun rites, but they're potentially dangerous times for entering a cemetery that is located next to a housing project or other high-risk area. As it is, several New Orleans cemeteries are in neighborhoods so bad that they're not safe during the day. Most tour groups hit the cemeteries between the hours of 11:00am and 1:00pm. Even if you would prefer visiting a cemetery on your own, go when the tours are wandering around. It goes without saying that your chances of becoming a victim of street crime are greater at night than during the day.
• Stick to the foot of Canal Street
• Unless you have specific reasons for going to other cemeteries, the ones in and around the foot of Canal Street will give you what you're looking for. The neighborhood is a lot better than the cemeteries on the fringe of the Quarter, for example. This doesn't mean you should forget all of the other safety tips, but it's definitely a better neighborhood overall. Not to mention the fact that there are tons of interesting and historical things in these cemeteries as well.
• Ask locals and others for advice on where to go.
• Don't just wander off into any old part of town. You wouldn't do that at home, would you? Check with people you know who live here or have visited here in the past. Check with folks here on the 'net. Ask your hotel doorman or concierge about areas to avoid. Knowledge is power; use it and you help stay safe.
• Use Common Sense!