![]() (Photo courtesy Carlos “Froggy” May)įreemasonry has a long and distinguished history in New Orleans. Masonic Cemetery contains a combination of family tombs and copings, along with tombs for the respective lodges. In 1865, the Masonic Blue Lodges of the city acquired land along City Park Avenue, on the Metairie Ridge. To make sure their departed loved ones went out in style, families would form “benevolent societies.” Members of the society would pay dues/fees, then the organization would purchase a plot in a cemetery and construct a nice tomb or mausoleum. Masonic Cemeteryīuying a cemetery plot and building a grand tomb on it was something outside the financial means of many New Orleanians. One of the distinctive features of Mount Olivet is that a number of the tombs and copings use the blue street tile lettering found at numerous intersections across New Orleans. ![]() Mount Olivet has a combination of above-ground tombs as well as “copings,” where the deceased are buried in-ground, but the plot is raised from ground-level. Among the notables buried in Mount Olivet is Henry Roeland Byrd, known to many as “ Professor Longhair.” Olivet opened in 1920 as a dedicated burial grounds for African-Americans, who were not allowed to bury their deceased in other cemeteries. Just up Gentilly Boulevard from Elysian Fields sits Mount Olivet Cemetery, a historically black cemetery. Mt. One of those personalities was “Oscar” Isentrout, the puppeteer who was the voice of “ Mister Bingle.” DeJan family coping, Mount Olivet Cemetery (Photo: Edward Branley) Mount Olivet Cemetery While neither the first Hebrew Rest, nor its neighbor Ahvas Sholem Cemetery have the elaborate tombs like those found in many of the predominantly Christian cemeteries, Hebrew Rest is the resting place for a number of prominent Jewish families, as well as various local personalities. Congregation Chevra Thilim, who used Tememe Derech Cemetery, constructed Hebrew Rest No. The Temple Sinai congregation began construction of Hebrew Rest in 1860. Because of the common belief that New Orleans’ water table is too high, the Jewish community purchased land out on one of the highest parts of town, Gentilly Ridge, to build a larger cemetery. Jewish burial traditions require that the deceased be buried in-ground. Isentrout voiced the popular New Orleans holiday character Mr. Grave of “Oscar” Isentrout in Hebrew Rest Cemetery #3 in Gentilly. This was followed by a second cemetery, built by Congregation Dispersed of Judah, in the 1850s. Congregation Tememe Derech dedicated a cemetery near the end of Canal Street and Bayou Metairie (what is now City Park Avenue) in the 1840s. By the 1840s, the Jewish community had grown large enough that the congregations were able to purchase land for cemeteries. ![]() The first Jewish congregation formed in New Orleans in the 1820s. Six Off-The-Beaten-Path New Orleans Cemeteries Hebrew Rest These are six local cemeteries that offer insight into New Orleans’ past and present. 1 (currently closed for repairs and routine maintenance) may be the most well-known cemetery in New Orleans, there are several other cemeteries throughout the city filled with interesting history. New Orleans’ “Cities of the Dead” continue to fascinate visitors today. Entombing the departed in elaborate marble chambers above ground created what is today one of the city’s most unique attractions: cemeteries that are both historic and hauntingly beautiful. Whether you take a guided tour or choose to meander through New Orleans’ over 40 cemeteries on your own, you’ll be sure to find plenty of history, architecture, and culture that define New Orleans and make it such a special and distinctive city.Burying the dead in a city below sea level was a problem that faced the earliest residents of New Orleans. Canal Street has several cemeteries that are worth seeing, including Greenwood, one of the city’s largest. 1!) was built on the former site of a leper colony and offers amazing views of the neighborhood from the top floor of the mausoleum. Opened in 1832, it's in a beautiful neighborhood known for its mansions and greenery. The Lafayette Cemetery is a well-known cemetery that is open to the public. However, there are many historic cemeteries in the city that you can visit on your own and tour at your own pace. Taking a tour is a wonderful way to learn more about New Orleans cemeteries from experienced and knowledgeable guides.
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