New Orleans' fascination with Cemeteries.
We start our tour at Lafayette #1 Cemetery. Cemeteries are a big deal in New Orleans. There is a fascination and acceptance of death as a natural state and process of life. Because there was so much
death from sickness, plagues, floods, whatever, the people accepted death as inevitable and celebrate life with gusto. Our guide, Sarah, is one of those who share this fascination. She eagerly leads us into the aged Cemetery, pointing out the rows of mausoleums and tombs. You see, New Orleans is below sea level in many areas. This Cemetery is the high spot at 8 1/2 ft above sea level. When people would dig a grave it would fill with water before they could turn around and shovel the soil back into the grave. (Hence the phrase 'watery grave') Eventually they borrowed from the Egyptian ways of using above ground tombs or mausoleums. Families would buy a spot and erect a mausoleum where all family members would be interred. Though the cemetery was filled in only 20 years (back in the 1800s) family members are still added to the crypts. It is also interesting that if a crypt is neglected and not maintained for a period of ten years, it will be resold.
This plantation house was built by a wealthy General for his young trophy wife. She was from Iowa and it was said he had this fence created (with the corn stalks) to remind her of Iowa. It is more likely that it was to represent Native American harvest with its corn, pumpkins, etc. This house was purchased years ago for $84,000 and is now being sold for around $4.8Million. Nice profit.
These columns are very typical of the homes build in this area, the architects being of European training.
Sandra Bullock owns this house but is seldom in New Orleans. She lets other movie people stay there when they are in town.
This is the oldest home in the District, showing some disrepair now. It is owned by someone in the movie business and used for filming movies.
It is Monday and my first free day after three days sitting in conference sessions all day and trying to sneak in an hour or two here and there.
We decide to go on a walking tour of the Garden District. This area is next to The French Quarter, set apart by Canal Street. The French Quarter was the home of the Creole population of New Orleans. Creole, it is said, referred to anyone born in the colonies of French, black or native background - often mixed.
As the Americans came down from the north - most of European background - English, Swedish, German- they were ostracized by the Creole. The Creole did not allow them to integrate and the Americans did not so much want to integrate as to take over. Eventually they began their own settlement, purchasing plantations and other property and building European styled homes. There was no love lost between the Creoles and the Americans.
We ride the historic St. Charles streetcar to the Garden District. We rattle and clang down tree lined streets, past historic landmarks and around Lee's Circle. As we lurch and creak along our driver calls out the names of upcoming stops and attractions. "World War Two Museum" he calls out in his lilting Southern Drawl. Our stop is Washington Street.
General Lee Circle.
We start our tour at Lafayette #1 Cemetery. Cemeteries are a big deal in New Orleans. There is a fascination and acceptance of death as a natural state and process of life. Because there was so much
death from sickness, plagues, floods, whatever, the people accepted death as inevitable and celebrate life with gusto. Our guide, Sarah, is one of those who share this fascination. She eagerly leads us into the aged Cemetery, pointing out the rows of mausoleums and tombs. You see, New Orleans is below sea level in many areas. This Cemetery is the high spot at 8 1/2 ft above sea level. When people would dig a grave it would fill with water before they could turn around and shovel the soil back into the grave. (Hence the phrase 'watery grave') Eventually they borrowed from the Egyptian ways of using above ground tombs or mausoleums. Families would buy a spot and erect a mausoleum where all family members would be interred. Though the cemetery was filled in only 20 years (back in the 1800s) family members are still added to the crypts. It is also interesting that if a crypt is neglected and not maintained for a period of ten years, it will be resold.
There are large group-type tombs. For example, a Fire Department might have a large plot where any of its members could be interred. We saw one specifically for orphan boys.
Embalming is not required in this older cemetery so bodies can be interred just wrapped in muslin and their natural state. Now remember, New Orleans temperatures range around 90-100 degrees with humidity that rises to 95% in the summer months. Yes, it does get a bit ripe!
Leaving the Cemetery we head on to the Garden District where the American settlers created their section. Here the beautiful stately mansions line the streets under towering oaks, magnolias and myrtle trees. The architecture is European - heavy with columns, beautiful stained glass windows, and ornate cast iron fences.
This is where the wealthy plantation owners lived. Most have been meticulously preserved and maintained. Some now owned by celebreties like John Goodman, Anne Rice, Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt.
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Tonight we are on a Riverboat Crusie. ComeWith Me.....
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