Lafayette Cemetery, Garden District

Today I was driving through the Garden District and protruding over the wall along the street, I saw the tops of tombs. I just happen to stumble on the Lafayette Cemetery. I have been wanting to photograph a cemetery ever since I arrived here so I took this chance to do just that.

Established in 1833, Lafayette Cemetery No.1 in the Garden District of New Orleans is a unique monument to a city which has known a tremendous amount of cultural diversity. A person can spend hours here, exploring and delving into the rich history of the city. Within it's walls lies the possibility to trace aspects of the city's growth from Creole settlement (1718), to American (1803), to a thriving city of immigrants and beyond.

The land occupied by the cemetery was once part of a plantation owned by the Livaudais family, of French heritage. In 1832, Madame Livaudais decided to sell her land and the tract was subdivided to form the major portion of what was incorporated as the (old) City of Lafayette one year later.

This period coincides with a massive influx into the region of (mostly European) immigrant groups-such as Germans, Irish, and Americans from the North. These newcomers were hard-working and industrious, leaving their mark in a number of different ways, contributing to the new age of business and culture which was rapidly changing the face of New Orleans. Germans provided the backbone of the middle class, and Irish the labor to perform often dangerous construction feats. Other groups such as Italians, English, Scottish, Dutch and Scandinavian are also represented. Because of this, the cemetery has always been non-segregated and non-denominational. A few families of African descent have tombs here, also.

 

 

Noticeable is the incredible loss of life during the 19th century, due to 'yellow fever'- a mosquito-borne illness, which seemed to affect newcomers much more heavily than established residents. A multitude of various causes-from epidemics to unsanitary conditions-contributed to a high infant mortality rate. Children often died before their second birthday, and many families were completely decimated.

 

Walking through the gate of Lafayette Cemetery is like walking through a portal into the past. Row upon row of raised tombs, some a century and a half old, arranged somewhat like houses in a city. You may have heard the expression "cities of the dead" used to describe them.

Why people are buried this way is a fact I found to be very interesting. There are a large number of names on a tomb, because a technique called "unlimited interment" is employed. This is also a common tradition around the world, especially in places with a direct or indirect Latin, Roman-Catholic influence.

Once a coffin or casket is placed into a tomb or other interment vehicle, it is sealed with brick and mortar or covered with soil. In the case of our vaults and family tombs, this is merely the process of laying a simple brick "wall" before the vault entrance. After the minimum period has gone by, usually one year and one day, the tomb may be re-used, if needed, by simply removing the seal, separating the human remains from what is left of the casket , and replacing the remains back into the tomb (either pushed to the rear of the vault, or placed in the bottom). The casket is simply disposed of, so for that reason this burial style doesn't usually require the use of expensive caskets.

 

Interments are not opened unless they are needed, which may be many years later. However, previous remains are ultimately allowed to simply deteriorate in the bottom of the tomb, which is what "Latin" interment practice is about. Ensuring that remains are left at the burial site, allowing the natural process to take place fulfills the requirements of "ashes to ashes.......dust to dust". This process may take decades, although one year is nominally, due to the history of epidemics in the city during the nineteenth century, plus one day out of deference to the family, considered enough time for a body to decompose enough to be handled and fulfill the minimum deference requirements. Remains from all interment vehicles remain at the interment site, unless families request that remains be transferred or handled in a specific manner. 

 

 

 

What stands out most about the cemetery, in light of the fact that it is based on what is commonly referred to as a "Latin-style" cemetery, is the low number of Latin family names to be found here. It is easy to see that most of the names are German, which makes it even more interesting, given the centuries-long rivalry between the French and the Germans. This is simply another sign of the cultural  "melting pot " that is New Orleans. As more and more immigrant groups arrived they were invariably subjected to the traditions of earlier cultures- adopting many of the established practices as their own within a few generations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a number of different burial traditions practiced within the cemetery, each with their own unique origins...

Family tombs are most common in the cemetery and there’s a belief that above-ground burial is due to the city's inherent water problems. But, this style originated in the Mediterranean region thousands of years ago and was introduced to New Orleans by the French and Spanish "creoles", which actually means "colonists".Tombs, mausoleums, and other raised, non-earthen, burial styles are common in most regions of the world with a strong Latin, Roman Catholic tradition, and a theory which is logical for anyone familiar with Southern Europe is that it evolved as a result of "rocky" soil in the region, making it more practical to find or build a burial structure. Also, above ground burials were were a symbol of status and class.

 

 

Originating in the same way as the family tombs, society tombs are for the members of various organizations, and their families. Many religious groups, clubs, fraternal societies, etc., as well as military, law enforcement and fire organizations had their own tombs and "benevolent associations" to handle the wishes of their members. Especially practical for families who could not afford their own family tomb. each vault in these multi-vaulted structures was (and still is, in many cases) assigned to individual families.

 

 

Also common in the cemetery are what are referred to as "copings", or retaining walls for soil, raising the burial level several feet above the ground. This , as in the case of the tombs, is also not because of water but due to a different cultural tradition originating in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. Some cultures, such as Jewish, Arabic or Protestant, for example,  prefer earthen burial to above-ground. This style is also found in many places around the world. There are also a small number of soil burials flush in the ground found in the cemetery usually surrounded by cast-iron fencing, and a few in-ground vaults. The reason they are not very common in Lafayette Cemetery seems to be more because of the location of the cemetery and it's  middle-to-upper-class orientation, as paupers and potters field cemeteries are usually all below ground.

 

 

 

Wall vaults were used when tombs were not available  for interments, such as for new families or if the minimum period of a year and a day had not yet passed. Ultimately all were sold outright to families, but during the worst days of 'yellow fever', many were used temporarily. After the period requirement was fulfilled, remains could then be transferred to their final resting place.