Located near the French Quarter, the historic Roman Catholic cemeteries St. Louis 1, 2 and 3 date back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The narrow, twisted paths lead to crumbled tombs, built in above ground vaults to protect them from floods due to the low ground water level. It's easy to find a tomb if you know look.
Instructions
1. Gather as much information about the person as possible from obituaries, wills, death certificates and other public records. You at least need the first and last name, as well as the date of death within a year.
2. Search for the names and burial dates of the deceased person's closest relatives. The St. Louis cemeteries have vaults that contain groups of family members, so if you search for the person's closest relative, you may find them as well.
3. Find out which cemetery the deceased person was placed in. The funeral home or church that handled the final arrangements can provide the name of the cemetery and perhaps even the tomb number.
4. Contact the cemetery office to get the tomb number and a plot map, which will help you locate the tomb when you visit the cemetery. St. Louis 3 is the only cemetery of the three that has its own office; however, all three cemeteries are operated by the New Orleans Archdiocese.
5. Request tomb numbers and plot maps for St. Louis 1 and 2, in writing only, from the St. Louis Archdiocese, 1000 Howard St., New Orleans, LA., 70113-1903. Include the deceased person's name, nationality and date of death within one year. For more information on request information, call the Archdiocese office at (504) 596-3050.
6. Call the main office of St. Louis 3 at (504) 482-5065.The cemetery is at 3421 Esplanade Avenue. St. Louis 1 is at Basin and St. Louis Streets. St. Louis 2 is on Claiborne Ave., between St. Louis and Iberville streets.
7. Consult the cemetery plot map when you have the number of the tomb. Plot maps don't list names. The tomb numbers are written in the boxes on the plot map and are arranged consecutively.
