Metairie Cemetery is a

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

in southeastern

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. The name has caused some people to mistakenly presume that the cemetery is located in Metairie, Louisiana, but it is located within the

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

city limits, on Metairie Road (and formerly on the banks of the since filled-in Bayou Metairie).

History

This site was previously a horse racing track, Metairie Race Course, founded in 1838. The race track was the site of the famous Lexington-Lecomte Race, April 1, 1854, billed as the "Great States” race. Former President

Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853; he was the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. A former member of the U.S. House of Represen ...

attended. While racing was suspended because of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

, it was used as a Confederate Camp ( Camp Moore) until

David Farragut David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. F ...

took New Orleans for the Union in April 1862. Metairie Cemetery was built upon the grounds of the old Metairie Race Course after it went bankrupt. The race track, which was owned by the Metairie Jockey Club, refused membership to Charles T. Howard, a local resident who had gained his wealth by starting the first Louisiana State Lottery. After being refused membership, Howard vowed that the race course would become a cemetery. After the Civil War and Reconstruction, the track went bankrupt and Howard was able to see his curse come true. Today, Howard is buried in his tomb located on Central Avenue in the cemetery, which was built following the original oval layout of the track itself. Mr. Howard died in 1885 in Dobbs Ferry, New York when he fell from a newly purchased horse. Metairie Cemetery was previously owned and operated by Stewart Enterprises, Inc., of Jefferson, Louisiana. However, in December 2013, Service Corporation International bought Metairie Cemetery and other Stewart locations.

Sights

Metairie Cemetery has the largest collection of elaborate

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

tomb A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called ''immureme ...

s and funeral statuary in the city. One of the most famous is the Army of Tennessee, Louisiana Division monument, a monumental tomb of

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

soldiers of the

. The monument includes two notable works by sculptor

Alexander Doyle Alexander Doyle (1857–1922) was an American sculptor. Doyle was born in Steubenville, Ohio, and spent his youth in Louisville (Kentucky) and St. Louis (Missouri) before going to Italy to study sculpture in Bergamo, Rome, and Florence, studying ...

(1857–1922): * Atop the tomb is an 1877 equestrian statue of General

Albert Sidney Johnston Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, figh ...

on his horse "Fire-eater", holding binoculars in his right hand. General Johnston was for a time entombed here, but the remains were later removed to Texas. * To the right of the entrance to the tomb is an 1885 life size statue represents a Confederate officer about to read the roll of the dead during the American Civil War. The statue is said to be modeled after Sergeant William Brunet of the Louisiana Guard Battery, but is intended to represent all Confederate soldiers. Other notable monuments in Metairie Cemetery include: * the pseudo-Egyptian

pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...

; * Laure Beauregard Larendon's tomb, which features Moorish details and beautiful stained glass; * the former tomb of Storyville madam

Josie Arlington Josie Arlington (1864 – February 14, 1914) was a brothel madam in the Storyville district of New Orleans, Louisiana. Early life Arlington was born Mary Deubler in New Orleans to German parents.

; * the Moriarty tomb with a marble monument with a height of tall, which required the construction of a temporary special spur

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

line to transport the monument's building materials to the cemetery; and * the memorial of 19th-century police chief

David Hennessy David C. Hennessy (1858 – October 16, 1890) was a police chief of New Orleans, Louisiana. As a young detective, he made headlines in 1881 when he captured a notorious Italian criminal, Giuseppe Esposito. In 1888, he was promoted to superintend ...

, whose murder sparked a riot. The initial construction of at least one of these elaborate final resting places – restaurateur Ruth Fertel's mausoleum – is estimated to have cost between $125,000 to $500,000 (in late 20th century dollars).

List of notable and celebrity burials

* Calogero Minacore, also known as “Carlos Joseph Marcello,” reputed crime boss and leader of the

New Orleans crime family The New Orleans crime family or New Orlean Mafia was an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in the city of New Orleans. The family had a history of criminal activity dating back to the late nineteenth century. The family reached its height ...

from the late-1940s to the early-1980s. *

Silvestro Carollo Silvestro Carollo (, ; June 17, 1896 – June 26, 1970), nicknamed "Silver Dollar Sam", was an Italian-American mob boss, boss of the New Orleans crime family. He transformed the New Orleans's Black Hand gang into a Cosa Nostra crime family, and a ...

, crime boss and leader of the New Orleans crime family from the 1920s to the 1940s. *

Algernon Sidney Badger Algernon may refer to: * Algernon (name), a given name (includes a list of people and characters with the name) * Algernon Township, Custer County, Nebraska See also * Treaty of Algeron, an agreement signed by the United Federation of Planets and ...

, New Orleans government official during and after

Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...

* T. L. Bayne, first

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...

football coach and organizer of first football game in New Orleans * P. G. T. Beauregard, Confederate General, former Superintendent at West Point *

Tom Benson Thomas Milton Benson (July 12, 1927 – March 15, 2018) was an American businessman, philanthropist and sports franchise owner. He was the owner of several automobile dealerships before buying the New Orleans Saints of the National Football Leagu ...

, owner of

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

and New Orleans Pelicans *

John Bernecker John Hagen Bernecker (March 2, 1984 – July 13, 2017) was an American stunt performer. Early life Bernecker was born on March 2, 1984, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended the University of New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana University ...

, stunt performer * Renato Cellini, operatic conductor * William C. C. Claiborne, first U.S. Governor of Louisiana *

Marguerite Clark Helen Marguerite Clark (February 22, 1883 – September 25, 1940) was an American theatre, stage and silent film actress. As a movie actress, at one time, Clark was second only to Mary Pickford in popularity. All but five of her films are co ...

, stage and film actress *

Lewis Strong Clarke Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * " Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohea ...

, sugar planter and

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician * Isaac Cline was the chief meteorologist at the Galveston, Texas office of the US

Weather Bureau The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...

from 1889 to 1901. In that role, he became an integral figure in the devastating

Galveston Hurricane of 1900 Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Galv ...

. * Hamilton D. Coleman was a businessman who held

Louisiana's 2nd congressional district Louisiana's 2nd congressional district contains nearly all of the city of New Orleans and stretches west and north to Baton Rouge. The district is currently represented by Democrat Troy Carter. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+25, ...

seat from 1889 to 1891. He was the last Republican member of the U.S. House from Louisiana until 1973. *

Al Copeland Alvin Charles Copeland (February 2, 1944 – March 23, 2008) was an American entrepreneur who founded the Popeyes fast food chain. He was also a successful restaurateur who created many successful upscale restaurants. Personal life Born in New O ...

, founder of

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., also known as Popeyes and formerly named Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken & Biscuits, is an American multinational chain of fried chicken fast food restaurants that was formed in 1972 ...

* Nathaniel Cortlandt Curtis Jr., architect, founder of Curtis and Davis Architects and Engineers. *

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...

was buried at Metairie Cemetery, but his remains were later moved to Hollywood Cemetery in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. *

Dorothy Dell Dorothy Dell (born Dorothy Dell Goff; January 30, 1915 – June 8, 1934) was an American film actress. She died in an auto accident at the age of 19. Early life and career Born Dorothy Dell Goff in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to entertainers, ...

, film actress of the 1930s *

Dorothy Dix Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer (November 18, 1861 – December 16, 1951), widely known by the pen name Dorothy Dix, was an American journalist and columnist. As the forerunner of today's popular advice columnists, Dix was America's highest paid ...

, advice columnist * Charles E. Dunbar, New Orleans attorney and

civil service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...

reformer * Charles E. Fenner, founder of brokerage house that became part of Merrill Lynch, Pearce, Fenner, & Smith * Joachim O. Fernández,

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Louisiana's 1st congressional district Louisiana's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district comprises land from the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain south to the Mississippi River delta. It covers most of New Orleans' sub ...

from 1931 to 1941 * Ruth U. Fertel, founder of Ruth's Chris Steak House *

Benjamin Flanders Benjamin Franklin Flanders (January 26, 1816 – March 13, 1896) was a teacher, politician and planter in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1867, he was appointed by the military commander as the 21st Governor of Louisiana during Reconstruction, a ...

, Reconstruction-era state governor and New Orleans mayor *

Jim Garrison James Carothers Garrison (born Earling Carothers Garrison; November 20, 1921 – October 21, 1992) was the District Attorney of Orleans Parish, Louisiana, from 1962 to 1973. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he ...

, New Orleans District Attorney * Edward James Gay III, U.S. Senator *

Michael Hahn George Michael Decker Hahn (November 24, 1830 – March 15, 1886), was an attorney, politician, publisher and planter in New Orleans, Louisiana. He served twice in Congress during two widely separated periods, elected first as a Unionist Democr ...

, Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and Governor of Louisiana * William W. Heard, Governor of Louisiana from 1900 to 1904 * William G. Helis Sr., American oilman, racehorse/owner breeder *

Andrew Higgins Andrew Jackson Higgins (28 August 1886 – 1 August 1952) was an American businessman and boatbuilder who founded Higgins Industries, the New Orleans-based manufacturer of "Higgins boats" (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel, or LCVPs) during W ...

, inventor of the "Higgins Boat" *

Al Hirt Alois Maxwell "Al" Hirt (November 7, 1922 – April 27, 1999) was an American trumpeter and bandleader. He is best remembered for his million-selling recordings of "Java" and the accompanying album '' Honey in the Horn'' (1963), and for the them ...

, jazz trumpeter * Ken Hollis, state senator from Jefferson Parish *

John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the dec ...

, Confederate General *

Chapman H. Hyams Chapman Henry Hyams, Sr. (21 July 1838, in Charleston – 19 April 1923, in New York) was an American stockbroker, art collector, and philanthropist. Family On April 26, 1893, Hyams' son, Chapman Henry Hyams, Jr. married Violet Victoria Hildreth. ...

, stockbroker, businessman and philanthropist * John E. Jackson Sr., New Orleans lawyer and state Republican chairman from 1929 to 1934 *

Grace King Grace Elizabeth King (November 29, 1852 – January 14, 1932) was an American author of Louisiana stories, history, and biography, and a leader in historical and literary activities. King began her literary career as a response to George Washin ...

, author *

Richard W. Leche Richard Webster Leche (May 17, 1898 – February 22, 1965) was an American attorney, judge, and politician, elected as the 44th Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana. He served from 1936 until 1939, when he resigned. Convicted on federal ...

, Governor of Louisiana * Harry Lee, Sheriff of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana * Samuel D. McEnery, Governor of Louisiana * Louis H. Marrero, Jefferson Parish Police Juror & President, Jefferson Parish Sheriff, Senator, Lafourche Basin Levee Board * John Albert Morris, the "Lottery King" * deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison Sr., Mayor of New Orleans * deLesseps Story "Toni" Morrison Jr., state legislator from Orleans Parish * Isidore Newman, New Orleans philanthropist and founder of the Maison Blanche department store chain and the regarded Isidore Newman School * Elwyn Nicholson, state senator from 1972 to 1988, grocery store owner * Margaret Norvell, lighthouse keeper and namesake of the coastguard cutter USCGC Margaret Norvell *

Alton Ochsner Alton Ochsner Sr. (May 4, 1896 – September 24, 1981) was an American surgeon and medical researcher who worked at Tulane University and other New Orleans hospitals before he established The Ochsner Clinic. Now known as Ochsner Medical ...

, surgeon, co-founder of Ochsner Clinic (now Ochsner Health System) * Lionel Ott, member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1940 to 1945 and the last New Orleans finance commissioner from 1946 to 1954 *

Mel Ott Melvin Thomas Ott (March 2, 1909 – November 21, 1958), nicknamed "Master Melvin", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Giants, from through . He batted left-handed an ...

, Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player *

Benjamin M. Palmer Benjamin Morgan Palmer (January 25, 1818 – May 28, 1902) was a Presbyterian minister, theologian, in the United States. He served as first Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) in 1861. Life Palmer was born in Charl ...

, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans (1856–1902) *

John M. Parker John Milliken Parker, Sr. (March 16, 1863 – May 20, 1939), was an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician from Louisiana, who served as the state's List of Governors of Louisiana, 37th Governor from 1920 to 1924. ...

, governor of Louisiana *

P. B. S. Pinchback Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921) was an American publisher, politician, and Union Army officer. Pinchback was the second African American (after Oscar Dunn) to serve as governor and lieutenant governor of a ...

, first

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

Governor of Louisiana 1872-1873 *

Louis Prima Louis Leo Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he forme ...

, bandleader *

Stan Rice Stanley Travis Rice Jr. (November 7, 1942 – December 9, 2002) was an American poet and artist. He was the husband of author Anne Rice. Biography Rice was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1942. He met his future wife Anne O'Brien in high school. They ...

, poet *

Anne Rice Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien; October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021) was an American author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Christian literature. She was best known for her series of novels ''The Vampire Chronicles''. B ...

, author *

John Leonard Riddell John Leonard Riddell (February 20, 1807 – October 7, 1865) was a science lecturer, botanist, geologist, medical doctor, chemist, microscopist, numismatist, politician, and science fiction author in the United States. He was born in Leyden, Massa ...

, melter and refiner of Mint 1839–1848, Postmaster 1859–1862, inventor of the binocular microscope *

John G. Schwegmann John Gerald Schwegmann (August 12, 1911 March 6, 1995) was an American businessman, a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, and a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. In 1971, he unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Louisia ...

, supermarket pioneer and member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature *

James Z. Spearing James Zacharie Spearing (April 23, 1864 – November 2, 1942) was a U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district, based in New Orleans. Born in Alto in Cherokee County, Texas, Spearing moved with his parents in 1866 t ...

, U.S. representative, 1924–1931, from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district * Edgar B. Stern, businessman and civic leader *

Edith Rosenwald Stern Edith Rosenwald Stern (1895–1980) was an American philanthropist and champion of educational causes in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. She was instrumental in formation of the David Stern (activist)#Stern Family Fund, Stern Family Fund a ...

, philanthropist *

Norman Treigle Norman Treigle (né Adanelle Wilfred Treigle (March 6, 1927February 16, 1975) was an American operatic bass-baritone, who was acclaimed for his great abilities as a singing-actor, and specialized in roles that evoked villainy and terror. Biograp ...

, opera star * Helen Turner, painter *

Cora Witherspoon Cora Witherspoon (January 5, 1890 – November 17, 1957) was an American stage and film character actress whose career spanned nearly half a century. She began in theatre where she remained rooted even after entering motion pictures in the ...

, stage and screen character actress

References

External links

Lake Lawn Funeral home, Metairie Cemetery

Find a Grave Metairie Cemetery

{{Authority control Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana Protected areas of New Orleans Buildings and structures in New Orleans Defunct horse racing venues in Louisiana 1872 establishments in Louisiana National Register of Historic Places in New Orleans Rural cemeteries