Metairie Cemetery

Our first stop in New Orleans was the Metairie Cemetery.  Transformed from a racetrack in 1872, Metairie Cemetery in Orleans Parish is today a designated National Historic Place (1991). The racetrack configuration remains, within the borders of the cemetery.  Upon arrival we were provided a map and audio CD to tour this historic cemetery.  Metairie Cemetery has the largest collection of elaborate marble tombs and funeral statuary in the city.

One of the most famous is the Army of Tennessee, Louisiana Division monument, a monumental tomb of Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War. The monument includes two notable works by sculptor Alexander Doyle (1857–1922).

Other notable monuments in Metairie Cemetery include the pseudo-Egyptian pyramid tomb...


...the Moriarity tomb, with a marble monument with a height of 60 feet (18 m) tall. A temporary special spur railroad line was built to bring the materials for this monument.  A massive tomb, it was designed to out do all others. It’s a Metairie landmark. The old story is that there are four statues on this monument: Faith, Hope, Love, and, of course, Mrs. Moriarty. That's the one the cab drivers love to tell, but the fourth statue is actually Memory. This is the largest and most recognizable monument in the cemetery.


J.V. Harrington, aka never smile Harrington was a well-known gambler who plied his trade in the 100 block of Royal Street in the early part of the 20th century and obviously gained his nickname by maintaining a poker face, never cracking a smile. After having a particularly good night, he was headed to his home on Constance Street in July of 1924 when he was gunned down while driving his car, then crashing into a utility pole.

His tomb is unique because it features a bronze woman grieving in front of the tomb and laying a spray of roses at the entrance. An interesting sidelight: the judge handling Never Smile’s succession refused to approve the expense for the tomb, saying it was not commensurate with the size of the estate. That did not halt the construction of the tomb for his wife, being married to a gambler, likely knew of assets not known to the judge. The tomb was paid for in cash, what most gamblers deal in

Captain Salvatore Pizzati was a leading importer of tropical fruit and the principal benefactor of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. At his request, Captain Pizzati's favorite rocking chair is said to be buried with him below the crypt containing his casket.

The tomb of George and Eliza Nicholson was adorned with wreath and laurel from the Picayune Daily newspaper.  George and Eliza were co-editors; this was quite a feat for a woman in those days.  Eliza also wrote under the pen name Pearl Rivers.

Three members of the Aldige family perished on the steamship La Bourgoyne in 1898.  The sculptured angels, the prow of the ship and an anchor were created in memory of the incident.

The marble statuary monument to Chapman Hyams sisters is a replica of the first weeping angel in Rome. Also called the Angel of Grief, it is an 1894 sculpture by William Wetmore Story which serves as the grave stone of the artist and his wife at the Protestant Cemetery, Rome.  The term is now used to describe multiple grave stones throughout the world erected in the style of the Story stone.  Hyams was eventually interred in the family mausoleum himself. The mausoleum, designed by Favrot and Livaudais is in the style of a Greek temple with Ionic columns on all sides, and a pediment, with Hyams' name below. The interior is illuminated by four blue stained glass windows with floral theme, casting a blue tint to the sculpture.

For those in York, PA, there is a replica of the weeping angel at the Frey monument in Prospect Hill Cemetery.