Actually, Cate, I began researching this very thing sometime ago, just never completed anything publishable yet. There have been items published about our customs, and of course, there are local tours around the area which discuss the traditions.  Several of the museums and plantation houses have "mourning tours" during the month of October into the first week of November in honor of All Saints and All Souls Days (Nov. 1st and 2nd).  I visited St. Joseph Plantation in Vacherie last year or the year before, taking notes and pictures throughout, and had a lively discussion with the tour guide afterward. The cemeteries used to be such lively places at this time of the year.  I'd love to see the tradition come back in full swing, after all, it's still a local holiday, so why not take advantage?  I sometimes regret my son, my brother, my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are buried in a mausoleum because it doesn't have the same feel as an open cemetery.  So I always pay a visit to departed friends in Metairie cemetery, just to get that oldtime feeling.  Thankfully, I have so many departed loved ones in other cemeteries, I could easily spent weeks visiting each one and really capture the spirit (no pun intended) of the season. Carolyn, thanks so much for the heads up regarding the Society of the Dearly Departed. Alexa Genealogy research since 1975 --- On Sun, 10/17/10, Cate Schweitzer-Toepfer <[email protected]> wrote: I have, for a long time, wondered why there have not been any books or even college thesis written on the subject of early burial practices, especially since there is a mortuary science curriculum at Delgado with an old cemetery practically on its campus and lots of others in close proximity at the end of Canal St.  Even thought of doing the project myself at one time but after Katrina lots of things changed including moving to Houma and/or maybe I got lazy or scared that "the other side of the mud" was always closer than we think!  ;-} -------------------------------------------------- From: "Carolyn  Long" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2010 8:22 PM To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [LAORLEAN] November 1st Cemetery Security or Tours > St. Louis Cemetery 1 and 2 always has security, and there are always a lot > of people there. In addition, this year the Dearly Departed Society will > be > there. Their announcement is below: > > THE DEARLY DEPARTED SOCIETY > > All Saints Day, November 1 > > St. Louis #1 Cemetery -10am- noon > > > > Founded by Gene Cizek and Lloyd Sensat, the Dearly Departed Society will > debut on All Saints Day, November 1st. The Society is intended to be a > participatory group fostering the perpetuation of All Saints Day > traditions > in the old historic cemeteries of New Orleans. > > > > Events will be held at St. Louis #1 Cemetery from 10am- noon. The Faubourg > Marigny Improvement Association will place a floral wreath on Bernard de > Marigny's tomb and the organization will have a table with information on > Bernard's fabulous neighborhood. William de Marigny Hyland ( Bernard's > great, great, great, great grandson) will discuss his illustrious > ancestor. > Robert Florence's Friends of New Orleans Cemeteries will have the blue > note > replaced on the Musicians' Tomb and provide a jazz band. Anna Ross > Twichell > will decorate the tomb in authentic 19th century mourning. Additionally, > there will be role playing ghosts: Lloyd Sensat as Bernard de Marigny, > Barbara Trevigne as Marie Laveaux, Barbara Robichaux as a lady from > Storyville, and Greg Osborne as Apollinaire Perrault. > > > > At noon, Mass for the Dearly Departed will be celebrated by Father Tony > Rigoli at the Mortuary Chapel. Now Our Lady Of Guadalupe Church and > International Shrine to St. Jude at 401 North Rampart St., the church was > built in 1826.  Its original function was as a mortuary chapel when > funerals > from the St. Louis Cathedral were forbidden by city ordinance because of > yellow fever contagion. The famed Creole team of Claude Gurlie & Joseph > Guillot were the architect-builders. In 1969, it was designated an > official > New Orleans historic landmark. > > > > Anyone interested in participating may email Lloyd Sensat at > [email protected] Even if you do not have a relative entombed, you can > participate by simply visiting the cemetery. Other All Saints Day > traditions: attend mass, lime wash a tomb, clean the names cut in the > marble > slabs, weed a grave site, leave flowers, adopting and tending a nameless, > unadorned, forlorn, neglected and forgotten tomb,drape a tomb with black > cloth, picnic in the cemetery, or have a family reunion. >