Metairie Cemetery is a cemetery in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The name has caused some people to mistakenly presume that the cemetery is located in Metairie, Louisiana, but it's within the New Orleans city limits, on Metairie Road (and formerly on the banks of the since filled in Bayou Metairie).

Metairie Cemetery covers 150 acres (607,000 m²) with over 7,000 graves.

History

This site was previously a horse racing track, Metairie Race Course founded in 1838. The great oval of the old racetrack can still be seen as part of the cemetery roadway system.

According to a story well known locally, one Charles T. Howard, a "new money" wealthy gentleman who came to the city from Baltimore, Maryland, was refused membership in the track's exclusive "Louisiana Jockey Club". In revenge, he purchased the track grounds and converted it into a cemetery. Some local historians accept the story, others say that the race grounds were sold due to financial stress. Either way, the cemetery was opened here in 1872, and the tomb of Charles T. Howard is prominently placed in the center.

A few tombs predating the foundation of this cemetery can be found here; these were originally erected in other local cemeteries and were moved here after Metairie became the city's most prestigious cemetery.

Sights

Metairie Cemetery has the largest collection of elaborate marble tombs and funeral statuary in the city.

Notables buried in Metairie Cemetery include William C. C. Claiborne, the first U.S. governor of Louisiana, P.G.T. Beauregard and other Confederate veterans, and jazz musicians Louis Prima and Al Hirt.

Other impressive tombs here include:

• the pseudo-Egyptian pyramid
• the former tomb of Storyville madam Josie Arlington
• Moriarity tomb, with a 60 foot tall marble monument. A temporary special spur railroad line was built to bring the materials for the impressive monument here.
• Memorial of 19th century police chief Hennesey, whose murder sparked a riot.

See also: List of United States cemeteries