St. Louis Number One, Number Two, and Number Three

The Original Cemeteries

Whenever someone uses the word "original" in conjunction with New Orleans, they're usually referring to the French Quarter, the original part of the city. The cemeteries that serviced the Vieux Carre' were not located within the confines of the Quarter, of course (cemeteries are almost always built on the outskirts of town), but in Faubourg Treme, just north of the original northern wall that is now N. Rampart St.

St. Louis Number One

Located in Faubourg Treme, just north of the Quarter, this cemetery is bounded by Basin, St. Louis, Treme, and Conti Streets. This is New Orleans' original cemetery. Tombs here date back into the 1760s. Among the more interesting tombs in St. Louis Number One are a massive tomb which houses the remains of some of the participants in the Battle of New Orleans; chess champion Paul Morphy; New Orleans' first black mayor, Ernest N. "Dutch" Morial, namesake of the Convention Center and father to the current mayor. This is also the location of the tomb reputed to be where Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau rests. Across the street, with its front facing N. Rampart St., is Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, which originally was the mortuary chapel built to handle the funerals and last rites of victims of yellow fever in 1826. It is the oldest surviving church in the city.

Faubourg Treme is not one of the best neighborhoods in town. In fact, it can be quite dangerous for tourists to go walking in this area. If you want to visit St. Louis Number One or Number Two (see below), you definitely should take an organized tour and stay with the group.

St. Louis Number Two

As the city grew, so did the need for additional burial places. St. Louis Number Two's entrance is up the street a bit from Number One, at Conti and North Robertson. We do not recommend that anyone visit St. Louis Number Two. You're going into a housing project with a high crime rate to get there. The number of tours going into St. Louis Number One is greater, and the sites of interest are greater there as well. Pass on this one.

St. Louis Number Three

This cemetery has a good bit of personal significance for me, as well as being one rich in history. It's located near the foot of Esplanade Avenue, near Bayou St. John and across from Holy Rosary Church. Lots of old families have tombs here, as well as many religious orders. On a personal level, it's the location of my mom and her brother are buried-my mom in her family's tomb (Seibert) and her brother (my Uncle Tom) in the Dastugue family tomb. A bus ride from the Old U.S. Mint down the length of Esplanade Ave. is a good way to see the far side of the Quarter and Faubourg St. John, and puts you out right here near the bayou. There are some interesting sights down this way, Pitot House around the corner on Moss St., new Orleans Museum of Art and City Park across the bayou, and the cemetery, of course. If you've done the Quarter and Uptown on previous visits to the city, this little trip will make for an interesting change of pace. Highly recommended for Jazz Fest visitors, since it's the neighborhood of the Fair Grounds.

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