MISSION STATEMENT

Save Our Cemeteries, Inc., founded in 1974, is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the historic cemeteries of Louisiana, and to fostering a public appreciation for the architectural and cultural value of these cemeteries.

RESTORATIONS

Save Our Cemeteries conducts cemetery restoration work each year as part of its mission.  Grants, donations, tours and fundraisers support these projects.  Projects include restoring abandoned tombs, landscaping, and making capital improvements.  Cemeteries where we have recently conducted work include St. Louis No. I, St. Louis No. II, Lafayette No. I and Valence Street Cemetery.  We also provide tomb owners and cemetery operators with information outlining proper restoration techniques suitable for historic tombs.

EDUCATION

    • Lectures - Four lectures, open to the public, are held throughout the year with topics ranging from jazz funerals, to voodoo, to yellow fever. (Click here for Calendar)

    • Cemetery Tours - Our guided tours of Lafayette No. 1 and St. Louis No. 1 allow the visitor, both national and international, a glimpse into our city’s past.  The participant gains a greater knowledge of the events that shaped New Orleans’ unique heritage. (Click here for Calendar)

    • Tour Guide Training - Each year, SOC holds a two-day seminar covering a wide range of topics to educate tour guides in giving historically accurate cemetery tours.

    • Cemeteryscape - This event is a juried photography exhibit and sale, with 40% of all sales going to Save Our Cemeteries.  This collaborative effort encourages amateur and professional photographers to focus attention on the aesthetic beauty of our outdoor museums. (Click here for Calendar)

    CLEANUPS

    The purpose of this program is to help keep the cemeteries clean and visitable through volunteer clean-up events.  SOC encourages community participation from individual volunteers, church, school, corporate and civic groups.  Clean ups can be designed as three hour or three day initiatives that target certain needs at a given cemetery.  Donated supplies and equipment help SOC maximize the impact of these events.

    FUNDRAISERS

    To support the above projects and programs, Save Our Cemeteries offers the following events as opportunities for the public to support the preservation of the historic cemeteries of our state:

    • All Saints' Soirée - Our anual evening celebration is not to be missed.   Get ready, as October is fast approaching! Click Here to Purchase Tickets Online.

    • A Run Through History 5K Run, This annual event hosts a Run or Walk through Metairie Cemetery in one of two races, a one-miler or 5K. The event is held in November.

    • Uncorked: A Taste of Canal Place - November

    Become a Member, Donate or Volunteer!

    Join Save Our Cemeteries and help us preserve and protect New Orleans' historic cemeteries which are threatened by such forces as neglect, vandalism, theft, and the effects of time. Community support is vital. Please join today and help us preserve this very special part of New Orleans history.

    For more information about Save Our Cemeteries, Inc. click here.

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