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ST LOUIS I
CEMETERY
SAVE AMERICAS TREASURES PRESERVATION PROGRAM: PROJECT SCOPE OF WORK
Program
Intro | Site History | Emergency
Stabilization | Lacombe Tomb | Malard
Tomb
click
for larger image
A
map of St. Louis No. 1 Cemetery with the
emergency stabilization (red dots) and 9L
(blue dots) tombs identified. |
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The St. Louis I
Cemetery Save America's Treasures Preservation Program is being executed
with the collaboration of Save Our Cemeteries, Inc. (SOC) and the
New Orleans Archdiocesan Cemeteries. The program is funded by a $150,000
matching grant from the "National Park Service, Department of
the Interior, Save America's Treasures Fund." So far, matching
funds have come from The New Orleans Archdiocesan Cemeteries and
SOC. The first component is the stabilization of tombs which are
in a state of disrepair and have been identified as "emergencies".
The second part involves the restoration of the tombs on one alley
of the cemetery (9-L). The third phase is the creation of an "Adopt-A-Tomb" program,
which will allow for additional restorations of threatened tombs
using private funding. Click here for more
about the site and its history.
click
for larger image
Conservation assistant Heather Knight cleaning Tomb #438 as part
of the emergency stabilization part of the project. |
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I. EMERGENCY
TOMB STABILIZATION - (detailed
description) Approximately thirty-five tombs have been
identified as "emergencies" based primarily on the condition
of their roofs. The March 2001 tomb-by-tomb survey performed by
the University of Pennsylvania (using funding from the State Historic
Preservation Office) was utilized to identify those tombs whose
primary structure and roof structure exist in poor or significantly
deteriorated condition, but which retain a high degree of historic
integrity. The goal of the work on the emergency tombs will be
to stabilize the existing structures and make them water-tight
in order to prevent further deterioration. Once stabilized, the
tombs become candidates for future restoration campaigns. Click
here for more about our emergency tomb stabilization project.
II. 9-L TOMBSCAPE
RESTORATION - (Lacombe
Tomb, Malard Tomb) Alley 9-L
was selected as a candidate for restoration of a representative
cemetery "tombscape" because of the degree of material
and structural integrity that remains in this particular alley
of the cemetery. In addition, there are historical images (mainly
photographs) of Alley 9-L that document its appearance throughout
the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The alley also retains
its shell and dirt path. The thirty-one tombs on this alley will
be documented and restored by the SAT Conservation Team and contracted
local craftspeople, following the model of the three pilot tombs
restored by Save Our Cemeteries last year (Esteve, Begamini and
Perrault). Issues of landscape and ground cover will also be addressed
as part of the restoration effort. Read detailed descriptions of
our work with the Lacombe Tomb and the Malard
Tomb.
III. ADOPT-A-TOMB
PROGRAM - In an effort to raise additional funding for the
restoration and preservation of tombs within the St. Louis I Cemetery,
SOC has created an Adopt-a-Tomb program which will solicit private
donations to pay for the work. The candidates for this program
are tombs in poor condition that have one or more significant attributes,
such as the social history of the family or unique design. Once
the money is acquired to pay for the restoration of a particular
tomb, the SAT Conservation Team and local craftspeople will execute
the work (most likely after the completion of the SAT program).
Twenty-five tombs have been selected for this program.
Program
Intro | Site History | Emergency
Stabilization | Lacombe Tomb | Malard
Tomb
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