Site Through Time

Changes are often made to the wall and block vaults – to whole sections of the wall or to individual vaults. Changes are made to to make the structure safe, or to honor past loved ones.

1920s Image

Change Sketch

Current

1920s Image

Change Sketch

Current

1920s Image

• 1
• 2
• 3

During the recent restoration of the Malard Tomb, early construction and design changes became clear. Evidence shows that a tomb existed here before the sketch by dePouilly for the Malard Family.

The distinctive Varney Tomb has changed over time. The last repairs destroyed much of the historical character of the original tomb. Since the 2001 survey, the neighboring tree has been cut due to termite damage, changing the setting once again.

Some of the most unfortunate changes have occurred through overzeolous demolition and reconstruction of the Perpetual Care program tombs. The tombs restored in this project demonstrate cost effective alternatives to the destruction of these significant historic resources.

In the 1800s, travelers sought out the cemetery to experience, just for a moment, the thrill of contemplating a foreign custom and place of burial. Throughout the historical accounts are both fact and fiction as writers sought to dramatize their own experiences and impressions. Today, the cemetery is still a major tourist draw, and cemetery tours are a key element for the total New Orleans experience. Many visitors are drawn by the architectural and historical content of the cemetery, while others seek to experience a small moment of the modern intrigue created by fictional accounts in popular books and movies; the excitement of voodoo, vampires and high adventure.

The many daily tours at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 serve to define the site to thousands of people each month. The tourism industry packages economical, scripted slices of local color with a small dash of physical adventure for the mass marketing of most tours. Heritage marketing thrives on the gaps between history and memory introducing elements of colorful folklore and fictional accounts. Most of the tour guides at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, such as those volunteering for Save Our Cemeteries or the Friends of New Orleans Cemeteries and others, are well-versed in good historical infomation on the cemetery, and would not make the above silly comment. With the wealth of interesting and highly entertaining factual information available, it should not be necessary to confuse visitors with fictional ‘tall tales’ disguised as facts.

A recent internet query for “Vandalism” & “Cemetery” on the Google Search Engine resulted in 17,400 hits! Vandalism is one of the most serious problems that caretakers of historic cemeteries face when trying to preserve such precious resources. Vandalism usually takes 3 forms:

1. Thieves stealing valuable marble statues, metalwork and decorative objects for resale
2. Theft or destruction of tombs, markers or the interred related to hate crimes or misinterpreted religious rites
3. Senseless destruction of tombs and markers by teenagers.

At St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, most of the beautiful carved marble and metalwork documented in historic images has been stolen. A recent case of large-scale theft was tracked to a well-known New Orleans antique dealer. Recent Article

Unfortunately, studies show that most destruction is caused by teenage boys, age 12-17, while drinking or when acting on “a dare.” Several cemetery managers interviewed said that they shun publicity on the problem, as they believe that press coverage just encourages more juvenile destructive behaviour. Communities have found that the best way to reduce such destruction is through involvement of school-aged children in programs that promote an appreciation of community history, architectural and archaeological resources and of the historic cemeteries, specifically.

An early watercolor from 1834 shows a colorful cemetery with tombs in yellow, red and blue-gray colors. Evidence of these layers can still be seen on many of the tombs.