Participants

By coordinating the knowledge and skills of many specialists to develop and implement a conservation plan for St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, this multi-faceted project provides a sustainable approach to the long-term preservation and care of a very unique and important American place.

By coordinating the knowledge and skills of many specialists to develop and implement a conservation plan for St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, this multi-faceted project provides a sustainable approach to the long-term preservation and care of a very unique and important American place.

Under the direction of Frank G. Matero, Chair, Department of Historic Preservation and Dana Tomlin, Departments of Planning and Landscape Architecture, Graduate School of Fine Arts, University of Pennsylvania, these graduate students collaborated to research and map St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, and survey all 700+ cemetery spaces.

• Gwang-Ya Han, Teaching Assistant, City and Regional Planning
• Jennifer Baldwin, Historic Preservation
• Eric Baratta, Landscape Architecture / Historic Preservation
• Claudia Cancino, Historic Preservation
• Lisa Cass, Landscape Architecture
• Shyh-Yueh Chang, Landscape Architecture
• Keunwoo Chung, Landscape Architecture
• Stephen Curtis, Historic Preservation
• Sherry DeFreece, Historic Preservation
• Kathleen Forrest, Historic Preservation
• Daria Gasparini, Historic Preservation
• Lindsay Hannah, Historic Preservation
• Elizabeth Haydon, Historic Preservation
• John Hinchman, Historic Preservation
• Hyun-Jung Kim, Landscape Architecture
• Shiau-Yun Lu, Landscape Architecture
• Melissa McCormack, Historic Preservation
• Heather McGrath, Historic Preservation
• Lauren Meyer, Historic Preservation
• Christine Miller, Historic Preservation
• Judy Peters, Historic Preservation
• Al Parker, Historic Preservation/Real Estate
• Carla Radlosovich-Delcambre, Landscape Architecture
• Molly Sheehan, Historic Preservation
• Pushkar Sohoni, Historic Preservation
• Kyubong Song, Environmental Sciences
• Megan Sorensen, Historic Preservation/Real Estate
• Robert Ware, Historic Preservation/Real Estate.

Historic Preservation Program | Landscape Architecture Program

Since the 1950s, college students pursuing degrees in architecture, engineering, history and related fields have been the backbone of the HABS recording activities.

As part of the Phase 1 project, students in the Preservation Studies program in the School of Architecture at Tulane University prepared measured drawings of selected tombs, under the direction of Eugene Cizek. Participants first collected available archival information on the tombs and those interred. Measured drawings were made according to HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey) standards and conditions of deterioration were documented. See examples here and on their class webpage. The following students participated:

• Jessica Tippens – Bergamini Tomb #12
• Mike Stivers – Musson Family Tomb #232
• Laurie DeVegter – Varney Tomb #322
• Keri Renee Coumanis – Thomas-Hazeur Tomb #330
• Christy Fletcher – McCall-Jones Tomb #340
• Ann Woodruff – Bonabel Tomb #395
• Ann Heslin – John Hampden Lewis Tomb #489
• Charles W. Lesher – Fleitas Family Tomb #605
• Don Bennett – Marigny Family Tomb #606
• Michael D. Ballard, Jr. – Homer A. Plessy Tomb #619
• Joy Ellen Cecere – Claiborne/Lewis Tomb #640
• Erin E. Ammer – Charles Auguste Dehault Delassus Tomb #1200
• Roberto Rincon – Chloe/Dick Tomb #382
• Maria E. Rojas – Bermudez Tomb #35
• Sara Jensen – Locoul Family Tomb #493
• Dayna Castanedo – Bienvenu Family Tomb #521, 220 or 492
• Michelle Bertrand & Rachelle Starr- Front Gate
• Doreen Dennis Babo – Saulet Tomb #46
• Shavon Charlot – Malard Tomb #577
• Pilar Cruz & Leon Geoxavier – Dieu Nous Protege Society Tomb #115
• Michelle Bertrand & Rachelle Starr – Young Ladies Assoc. of St. Joseph #155

Opening comments: HABS/HAER

The Pilot Tomb Conservation Project was used to test treatments, and develop standards and guidelines for the Conservation Plan. The Bergamini, Esteve and Perrault Pilots represented a range of tomb types and conditions.

The Pilot Tomb Conservation Project was led by architectural conservator, Dorothy Krotzer of Dorothy S. Krotzer Architectural Conservation, and Frank G. Matero, Director of the Architectural Conservation Laboratory and Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Project participants in the project included Jane Irvin, conservation assistant, Anthony Henderson, stone carver, Stephen Curtis, University of Pennsylvania, Laura Ewen, Tulane University and Heather Knight, Tulane University. All masonry work was funded by the Archdiocese of New Orleans and executed by mason, Royal Osborne.

The Phase 2 team expanded the database and continued the research and map analysis. Guidelines were published for tomb owners and cemetery management.

Under the direction of Frank G. Matero, Chair, Historic Preservation Program and Dana Tomlin, Departments of Planning and Landscape Architecture, Graduate School of Fine Arts, University of Pennsylvania, the following graduate students finalized the survey and database information, conducted additional research, mapped the cemetery and surrounding urban changes through time, and published the St. Louis Cemetery No.1 Guidelines for Preservation & Restoration:

• Stephen Curtis
• John Hinchman
• Sophie Middlebrook
• Al Parker
• Judy Peters
• Kyu-bong Song

Save America’s Treasures is dedicated to identifying and rescuing the enduring symbols of American tradition that identify us as a nation.
Honor the past, imagine the future.

Save America’s Treasures is a public-private partnership between the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Save America’s Treasures program has three major objectives:

• To stabilize those tombs in a critical emergency condition
• To complete a model restoration of a typical tombscape
• To provide local training in masonry preservation

The Save America’s Treasures (SAT) project is under the direction of Frank Matero, University of Pennsylvania, Ann Masson, Assistant Director, and Dorothy Krotzer, supervising architectural conservator. The SAT project team includes Laura Ewen, Lindsay Hannah, Heather Knight, and Sophie Middlebrook, conservation assistants; Pietro Mangarella and Kecia Fong, conservators; Royal Osborne and Raphael Perrault, masons; Shelby Jones, assistant mason, Anthony Henderson, Patricia Hulin, and Jim Jenkins, artisans; Dan Brown, landscape services, Laurence Saltzman, documentary photographer and Judy Peters, Architectural Conservation Research Center support.

Project funding is provided by Save America’s Treasures, Save Our Cemeteries, Inc., Archdiocesen Cemeteries of New Orleans, University of Pennsylvania and Samuel H. Kress Foundation.