New Orleans, Cemeteries

New Orleans has many cemeteries. But we chose only three to visit.

Lafayette Cemetery was the first we toured. It is located in the Garden District, a very upscale area.


The above ground burial tombs were very interesting. It is up to the families to maintain the building.
This was the Jefferson Fire Company tomb


The oldest person listed on this tomb was the oldest I saw in the cemetery, born in 1794

Got to peek inside this one! A volunteer in the cemetery told us they buried the first one, then the next one lays on top until someone else is going to be added. They remove the wood from the casket and "scoot" the bones to the back. This is done by the family!

Most tombs are made of cement and brick. The only metal one

This is made of rock and metal between the rocks. There were three of these type.

I counted 30 names on this tomb, but found out later in talking to the volunteer that there could be double that amount!


The oldest cemetery in New Orleans is St. Louis Cemetery #1.


There were more dilapidated, unkept tombs here

But also bigger ones

The tomb of the founder of Mandeville had several names listed, but we were told by a friend leaving flowers that even more, 60 total, were interred

There is a small section left of Protestants, after most were moved to another cemetery when development came behind the cemetery

A burial memorial to the Battle of New Orleans is in the main section of the cemetery, where some of the defenders of New Orleans rest

A "voodoo queen" is also buried here


The largest of the three we visited was the Metairie Cemetery. We were able to obtained a map at the funeral home on the grounds that highlighted civil war burial monuments. Besides the Civil War, there are other war heroes, politicians, actresses and entrepreneurs. If you click on Metairie Cemetery, it will take you to a site that lists all of the famous people buried there.
Among the historical tombs we saw were:
Civil War Major General Richard Taylor, son of President Zachary Taylor and brother-in-law of Jefferson Davis.

Army of Tennessee, LA Div. tomb,

Although PGT Beauregard is buried in the Army of Tennessee, LA Div. tomb,
his daughter is buried in a separate but very unique tomb,

General John Bell Hood, whose tomb we did not find. We thought it was this nameless one (located according to the map), but later found out it was not.

Washington Artillery monument,

Northern Virginia monument

Among the interesting ones, the tallest private monument in the country, Moriarty,

and those that looked like miniature houses on a neighborhood street.


I think this was the most artistic, with it's metal plant connecting the pillars,


and this the most revealing of the personalities.


The above the ground vaults are such a different concept of burial, and it was fascinating to look at them and to wonder about the people buried in them. And to be reminded that, in the end, the body turns to dust, "All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust." Job 34:15

New Orleans, Natchez Steamboat

One day we decided to take the lunch cruise on the steamboat, Natchez.
The Natchez is the last steam-powered paddle boat on the Mississippi!
We were encouraged to visit the boiler room. This equipment is over 80 years old.


Watching the action of the arm going out

to make the paddlewheel run was fascinating.



Seeing the city from the water gave a sense of where things were in relation to each other


This shows the St. Louis Cathedral in the middle with the Cabildo, where the Louisiana Purchase was signed, on the left, and the oldest apartments in the country (red building) on the right.
We saw Fort Jackson

a closed Ford Motor Co. plant


Domino Sugar Plant

Chalmette Plantation, now a National Park

Oil refinery



We also saw lots of ships like these,


barges (this one with rock from the north to build levees)

and tug boats!



Navy had a presence on the river, with Cape Knox and Cape Kennedy

as well as a Navy training center



Damage by Katrina was evident


When we docked, It was interesting to watch the captain give instructions from the deck.

A sax player and Mime were there to greet us on our return.... and for their share of the tourist dollar!

It is truly a unique city~