St. Louis Cemetery No. 2, New Orleans Louisiana

St. Louis Cemetery II is the second oldest cemetery in New Orleans. It was established so that burials would be further from the center of population in order to prevent the spread of diseases such as cholera and yellow fever by the "miasmas" thought to be emanating from St. Louis Cemetery No. I. It was consecrated for burials in August, 1823. (The Girod Street Cemetery, established in 1822 for New Orleans Protestants, was destroyed in 1957.) With their above-ground burial, New Orleans cemeteries are among the most unusual in the United States.
Such burial provided an opportunity for artistic expression of craftsmen, artisans, and New Orleans' finest 19th-century architects. Concentrated in the three squares of St. Louis II are notable tombs of brick, marble, granite, and combined varieties of these materials which reflect the tastes and styles both traditional and popular with New Orleans' residents. A stylistic evolution can be traced in the development and change of tomb design. Sculptural decorations and ironwork complement these designs. Marble sculpture includes free-standing figures, marble urns, and delicate relief carvings on the tomb and wall vault tablet doors. Local sculptors often sign these tablets. Ironwork; fences, gates, and crosses, is well represented with twenty-five varieties of cast iron and many enclosures of the finest wrought examples remaining in the country. Along with the traditional brick monuments, impressive granite and marble tombs are built in the neo-Classical, neo-Gothic, and Egyptian-Revival styles. Wall vaults commonly referred to as "ovens" because of their barrel brick vaulting surround these squares except for one block facing Robertson Street. These vaults, also found in St. Louis I, separate the cemetery blocks from the surrounding streets, apartment houses, and businesses. This architectural buffer contributes an element of unification to the squares both aesthetically and physically. They are in themselves a unique element in relation to other American cemeteries. They provide beyond their architectural rarity a practical solution to the problem of multiple burials for those who did not wish or could not afford the more elaborate tombs. They are skillfully constructed of brick three or four tiers high. Many are faced with delicately carved marble tablets and many are expressive of folk art providing a curious record of individualistic beliefs. A vocabulary of symbols and ideograms such as winged hourglasses, inverted torches, arrows, lyres, and urns in both marble and iron provide irreplaceable art forms.
Among the historically important people buried here are General Jean-Baptiste Plauche who fought in the Battle of New Orleans; Francois Martin, jurist and author; Pierre Soule, senator and ambassador to Spain, Confederate provost marshal; Dominique You, pirate captain under Jean Lafitte who fought in the Battle of New Orleans and who later became a respected citizen; Major Daniel Carmick, United States Marine Corps, who fought in the Battle of New Orleans; James Freret, a distinguished nineteenth-century architect; Oscar J. Dunn, an octoroon plasterer and house painter who rose to be lieutenant governor of Louisiana during the Reconstruction era; Nicholas Girod, Mayor of New Orleans; and Charles Genois, Mayor of New Orleans. Architects and builders of some of the most impressive tombs include J. N. B. de Pouilly (buried St. Louis II); Newton Richards; P. H. Monsseaux (buried St. Louis II); Florville Foy; Isnard, and numerous artisan-carvers many of whom did not sign their work. Monuments of architectural significance are numerous; among the most notable are: family tombs designed by dePouilly - Fouche (1836-Roman sarcophagus), Dupeire (sarcophagus), J. M. Caballero (Gothic), Peniston and Duplantier (Greek Revival-granite), Plauche (Greek Revival "Marbre blanc de Nord"), Lacoste (Greek Revival without chapel, granite). The white marble Barelli tomb was probably imported from Italy and the Amable Charbonnet tomb was imported from France.
Site Description
St. Louis II was established in 1823. Maps of the period show the cemetery as one continuous piece of property running from Canal to St. Louis Street. The division of the cemetery into separate squares was done when Iberville, Bienville, Conti, and St. Louis Streets were cut through. in July 1847. The graves under what became Bienville and Conti Streets were relocated within the cemetery. The square between Canal and Iberville was never completely used as a cemetery plot and was eventually sold, leaving the three squares as they exist today. The three blocks are filled with a variety of above-ground tombs. These tombs line various avenues and walkways within the cemetery walls and create a unique appearance when compared with the numerous other cemeteries in the United States.
Many of the tombs resemble small houses and the effect caused Benjamin H. Latrobe to describe this cemetery as a "City of the Dead." The cemetery is laid out with a straight center aisle and parallel side aisles. All three squares are surrounded by wall vaults except the Robertson Street side of the middle square. Sections on the Claiborne Avenue wall vaults are in a ruinous condition, some beyond reuse. Many of the other "oven" vaults could be restored and reused.
The tombs are in various stages of repair or ruin. Many tombs are in excellent condition. Others are picturesquely overgrown with vines, trees, and ferns. Many of the tombs are still being used for contemporary burials.
The various family tombs are constructed of brick (often plastered and whitewashed), marble, and granite. The styles vary from a simple brick rectangular tomb to the most ornate marble Romantic revival design. Numerous benevolent association tombs were also constructed for various societies. These are usually large and designed with numerous vaults. The cemetery plots were owned by both black and white residents, and titles remain with descendants of the original owners.

Aerial view showing elevated expressway along Claiborne. Claiborne runs north. - south (1970)

A double sarcophagus type tomb with a complete iron enclosure with double gates, cast iron adjunctive ornamentation - all designs executed by iron craftsman in wrought manner. Front view west (1970)

Baroque ornamentation of Delachaise-Livaudais tomb resembles exactly that designed by J. Gallier, Jr. for the cenotaph for Gallier, Sr. Strong classical features mark this as an important stylistic example. Front view west (1970)

In rear is the Alexander Milne granite monument, 1838 erected by Newton Richards. The entire will of the philanthropist is inscribed on base and shaft. Front - west. The J. B. Plauche Gr. Revival tomb designed by dePouilly, built by Monsseaux faces south on Priest's aisle in Sq. 2. Note three varieties of cast iron closures (1970)

Gothic tomb in Sq. 2 designed by J.N.B. dePouilly, 1860 and built by Monsseaux for the J. W. Caballero family. Restored in 1974 and in excellent condition. Front view north (1970)

This is a typical view of one block long row of wall vaults surrounding St. Louis Cemetery II. Some of the tiers are in excellent condition while others have sunken and lost their tablets exposing the soft brick enclosure wall to dense fern and grass. Faces south (1970)

The Miltenberger Tomb is another granite classic temple tomb but one without an inner chapel - designed by dePouilly, in 1850, was built by Newton Richards. Tomb faces west. The Barelli tomb seen to the left is a magnificent example of a pedimented sarcophagus type elevated on a podium (1970)

This low-relief sculpture on the marble slab of the D'aquin arched vault tomb was cut in 1830 by Viau. It is of the finest quality craftsmanship and utilizes the ancient death symbols of the owl with the christian motifs of angels and the Holy Ghost. It faces east in Sq. 1 of St. Louis 2 (1970)

Bronze doors close this classic temple tomb designed by J.N.B. de Pouilly for the Peniston-Duplantier family in 1842, P.H. Monsseaux was the builder. Heavy bronze fence enclosure completes the dePouilly design all are in excellent condition. Tomb faces west (1970)
