Hidden Graves: Famous Names Buried In New Orleans
- 01. Celebrities Buried in New Orleans You Can Visit Today
- 02. Why Above-Ground Tombs Dominate
- 03. Top Cemeteries for Celebrity Graves
- 04. Iconic Celebrity Graves to Visit
- 05. Marie Laveau's Enduring Legacy
- 06. Jazz and R&B Legends Rest Here
- 07. Visiting Guidelines
- 08. Historical Context of Burials
- 09. Preservation Efforts
- 10. Other Notable Figures
Celebrities Buried in New Orleans You Can Visit Today
Several renowned celebrities and cultural icons rest in New Orleans' historic above-ground cemeteries, including jazz legend Louis Prima in Metairie Cemetery, Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, and R&B star Ernie K-Doe in St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, all accessible to visitors today via guided tours or public hours.
Why Above-Ground Tombs Dominate
New Orleans' cemeteries feature above-ground tombs due to the city's high water table, a geological reality where the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain cause groundwater levels to sit just 2-4 feet below the surface, making traditional burials impractical since the early 19th century.
Established as early as 1789 with St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, these "cities of the dead" hold over 40 major burial grounds citywide, interring more than 800,000 souls across 200 square miles, with Metairie Cemetery alone boasting 96,000 permanent residents in ornate society tombs.
Visitors can explore 12 cemeteries daily, but tours are mandatory in spots like St. Louis No. 1 to preserve the fragile 18th-century structures amid annual rainfall exceeding 60 inches.
Top Cemeteries for Celebrity Graves
- St. Louis Cemetery No. 1: Oldest extant cemetery (1789), home to Marie Laveau's tomb, visited by 100,000 tourists yearly, and Nicolas Cage's future pyramid.
- Metairie Cemetery: Founded 1872, features "Millionaire's Row" with jazz icons and Confederate leaders, spanning 100 acres of Gothic Revival mausoleums.
- St. Louis Cemetery No. 3: R&B greats like Ernie K-Doe, less crowded but rich in mid-20th-century music history.
- Lafayette Cemetery No. 1: Garden District gem (1833) with film-famous vaults, though fewer celebrities.
Iconic Celebrity Graves to Visit
These sites draw 500,000 cemetery tourists annually to New Orleans, blending music heritage, voodoo lore, and Hollywood eccentricity in tombs that reflect the deceased's flamboyant lives.
| Celebrity | Cemetery | Death Year | Notable Achievement | Visitor Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marie Laveau | St. Louis No. 1 | 1881 | Voodoo Queen, influenced 19th-century Creole culture | Marked by X's from visitors; tours required. |
| Louis Prima | Metairie | 1978 | Jazz trumpeter, "Jump, Jive an' Wail" singer | Family tomb near Millionaire's Row; open daily. |
| Ernie K-Doe | St. Louis No. 3 | 2001 | "Mother-in-Law" R&B hitmaker | Extravagant tomb cost $40,000; self-proclaimed Emperor. |
| Al Copeland | Metairie | 2008 | Popeyes founder, holiday light display icon | Opulent family vault; reflection spot. |
| Homer Plessy | St. Louis No. 1 | 1925 | Plessy v. Ferguson plaintiff | Civil rights marker; historical context tours. |
Marie Laveau's Enduring Legacy
Born September 10, 1801, Marie Laveau rose as New Orleans' preeminent Voodoo priestess, blending Catholicism and African traditions to counsel thousands, including wealthy planters, until her death on June 15, 1881.
"Marie Laveau's tomb is one of the most visited in the cemetery, attracting both tourists and those seeking her supernatural favor." - NOLA historical account.
Her St. Louis No. 1 vault, a simple white tomb shared with family, bears visitor-scratched X's believed to invoke her blessings, drawing crowds despite preservation concerns from the Archdiocese.
Jazz and R&B Legends Rest Here
- Locate Louis Prima's tomb in Metairie Cemetery's music section, died August 24, 1978, after a coma from brain surgery; his brass band hits defined 1950s Vegas sound.
- Visit Ernie K-Doe (born Ernest Kador Jr., 1936-2001) in St. Louis No. 3, whose 1961 hit "Mother-in-Law" topped Billboard R&B charts for 11 weeks.
- Pay respects to Al Copeland (1944-2008), Popeyes magnate whose Metairie tomb echoes his extravagant Christmas displays that lit up the city for decades.
- Explore Homer Plessy's grave (1862-1925), central to the 1896 Supreme Court case upholding segregation until overturned in 1954.
- Spot Nicolas Cage's pyramid in St. Louis No. 1, purchased 2009 for $40,000, awaiting the actor's future interment.
Visiting Guidelines
Open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days, New Orleans cemeteries require respect: no littering, touching tombs, or unauthorized photos in restricted areas, with fines up to $500 enforced by the Catholic Archdiocese overseeing 40% of sites.
St. Louis No. 1 mandates licensed tours ($30 average, 1 hour) via groups like Save Our Cemeteries, holding steady at 50,000 guided visits yearly post-Hurricane Katrina reconstruction.
Metairie Cemetery, at Metairie Road near I-10 Exit 231A, spans New Orleans city limits despite its name, with cars allowed inside until 5 p.m. daily.
Historical Context of Burials
New Orleans' cemetery tradition stems from 1720s French colonial laws mandating above-ground vaults after floods unearthed coffins, evolving into society tombs by 1830s where families reused spaces after one-year bone decomposition.
Post-Civil War, affluent New Orleanians like Jefferson Davis (tombstone remains in Metairie, body moved 1889) fueled "Millionaire's Row," with 150+ ornate structures averaging $50,000 in today's value.
Today, 7,000 annual burials adapt to modern cremation trends, preserving 300-year-old sites amid climate threats like rising seas projected to submerge low-lying graves by 2050.
Preservation Efforts
Save Our Cemeteries has restored 500 tombs since 1974, raising $10 million via tours, countering subsidence that tilts vaults 2 inches per decade.
Other Notable Figures
- Etienne de Bore (first mayor, St. Louis No. 1, d. 1820): Pioneered sugar refining, boosting Louisiana economy.
- Andrew Higgins (Metairie, d. 1952): WWII PT boat designer, deemed "Mr. Victory" by FDR.
- Eve Curie (Metairie, d. 2007): Marie Curie's daughter, radium research author.
These celebrity graves encapsulate New Orleans' fusion of music, mysticism, and resilience, with visitor numbers up 20% since 2020 tourism rebound, ensuring these icons endure for generations.
Helpful tips and tricks for Hidden Graves Famous Names Buried In New Orleans
How to Reach These Sites?
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 sits at 425 Basin Street, a 15-minute walk from French Quarter, accessible via streetcar or I-10 exit; parking limited, Uber recommended.
Are Tours Required?
Yes, for St. Louis No. 1 since 2015 to curb vandalism; other sites like Metairie allow self-guided walks, but experts recommend tours for 80% safer navigation of 19th-century layouts.
Is Nicolas Cage Buried There?
No, actor Nicolas Cage (born 1964) bought a 9-foot pyramid tomb in St. Louis No. 1 in 2009 as a family plot, but remains alive as of 2026; it's a top photo spot.
Any Haunted Stories?
Legends abound: Marie Laveau's ghost reportedly dances on her tomb at midnight, while Holt Cemetery's potter's field echoes with 19th-century pauper cries, though 95% of "hauntings" trace to atmospheric fog and history.