...disjointed alleys, intimate pockets of open space, dramatic vistas, and sudden dead-ends.

Key Findings

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 was never intended to be experienced as a place of derelict tombs. However, over time, the cemetery, like many such sites, has become defined by, and admired for, its picturesque decay, as well as its mortuary architecture. Indeed, much of its past and current appeal is tied to this aspect of age. Weathering and age are essential components of the site, and there will always be differences in opinion as to the division between historical character and tombs in poor, unsatisfactory condition. A combination of environmental and cultural processes has left St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 with its current spatial configuration of disjointed alleys, intimate pockets of open space, dramatic vistas, and sudden dead-ends.

Landscape Findings - The cemetery shares many of the characteristics of the historic city, implying a long-established sense of order, but one that has succumbed, incrementally, to centuries of small and large-scale changes. Its architecture is a rich palate of forms and details, jumbled together in a miniaturized city of tombs, tombscapes and open spaces.

Tomb & Marker Findings - The majority of the tombs in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 are pediment, parapet or platform tombs and are of brick construction covered with stucco. Roof and primary structure conditions range from very poor to good, with most tombs stable enough to benefit from a conservation program.