History of
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is the sacred resting place
of thousands of former citizens of New Orleans.
It is a small, family cemetery laid out in four quadrants.
Located in uptown New Orleans,
it has a footprint encompassing just one city block,
bordered by Washington Ave., Prytania St.,
Sixth St., and Coliseum St.
Lafayette No. 1 was dedicated in 1833 as the cemetery for the town of Lafayette
and later annexed with that town into the City of New Orleans in 1852.
In 1972, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The World Monuments Fund placed this cemetery on its Watch List for endangered historical sites in 1996 and again in 2006, citing major threats to the site as
"vandalism, lack of maintenance and unmanaged tourism."
Their site further states that "lax security allowed scavengers to raid
the structures for souvenirs." The WMF organization recommended
implementing a plan to allow the deceased in this cemetery to
"rest in peace."
Lafayette No. 1 is still in active use by families owning plots and tombs within it.
Families have buried loved ones and visited their graves
in this cemetery for generations and continue to do so to this day.
As Lafayette No. 1's real stakeholders, many have banded together in recent years
to protect this cemetery, all of its deceased and the resting places of their loved ones.
of thousands of former citizens of New Orleans.
It is a small, family cemetery laid out in four quadrants.
Located in uptown New Orleans,
it has a footprint encompassing just one city block,
bordered by Washington Ave., Prytania St.,
Sixth St., and Coliseum St.
Lafayette No. 1 was dedicated in 1833 as the cemetery for the town of Lafayette
and later annexed with that town into the City of New Orleans in 1852.
In 1972, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The World Monuments Fund placed this cemetery on its Watch List for endangered historical sites in 1996 and again in 2006, citing major threats to the site as
"vandalism, lack of maintenance and unmanaged tourism."
Their site further states that "lax security allowed scavengers to raid
the structures for souvenirs." The WMF organization recommended
implementing a plan to allow the deceased in this cemetery to
"rest in peace."
Lafayette No. 1 is still in active use by families owning plots and tombs within it.
Families have buried loved ones and visited their graves
in this cemetery for generations and continue to do so to this day.
As Lafayette No. 1's real stakeholders, many have banded together in recent years
to protect this cemetery, all of its deceased and the resting places of their loved ones.
Original 1832 plan for Fauberg Livaudais (aka Fauberg Lafayette). The block designated for
Lafayette No. 1 is near the center. |
Families have buried their loved ones here and visited their graves
since the early 1800s. |
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 in 1904, from the Times Picayune's Guide to New Orleans.
|
Lafayette No. 1 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972
|