Cemeteries
In most parts of the country, people are buried in a hole in the ground. But in New Orleans, many of the dead are buried in crypts above ground. This is because the water table in New Orleans is so high. When you dig down just a few feet, the hole will begin to fill with water. The coffin will float unless weighted down. Even then, if there is too much rain, the coffins will pop up out of the ground.
So very early in New Orleans history, people began burying their dead in tombs that are above ground. Some families built beautiful tombs that looked like little houses with iron gates around them. For this reason, cemeteries in New Orleans are sometimes called “The City of the Dead.”
In most parts of the country, people are buried in a hole in the ground. But in New Orleans, many of the dead are buried in crypts above ground. This is because the water table in New Orleans is so high. When you dig down just a few feet, the hole will begin to fill with water. The coffin will float unless weighted down. Even then, if there is too much rain, the coffins will pop up out of the ground.
So very early in New Orleans history, people began burying their dead in tombs that are above ground. Some families built beautiful tombs that looked like little houses with iron gates around them. For this reason, cemeteries in New Orleans are sometimes called “The City of the Dead.”