Abita Springs Cemetery
Welcome, seekers of the past, to Abita Springs Cemetery, where time carves its elegy in stone. Nestled in the heart of Louisiana’s Piney Woods, this hallowed ground whispers of lives long faded, etched into the earth like verses in a gothic tome. Join us on Gothic Dust Diaries as we tread softly through this sanctuary of memory, where history lingers in the shadow of eternity.
Here, at the crossroads of LA-59 and LA-36, Abita Springs Cemetery stands as a silent chronicler of a town forged in resilience. Its origins are veiled in the mists of time, but by 1924, names like John W. Leveson were etched upon its stones, their stories woven into the fabric of St. Tammany Parish. In 1978, diligent hands—Doris M. Holden, Cheryl Holden, and Pearl M. Bascle—cataloged its graves, preserving tales of families like the Rebennacks and Oalmanns, whose French and German bloodlines echo the region’s tangled heritage. Over 760 souls rest in the older section, with 260 more in a newer plot, each marker a fragment of Abita Springs’ soul. The sidewalks, like arteries of memory, guide us through this orderly necropolis, where the past is tended with reverence, its stones gleaming beneath the weight of centuries.
Each headstone is a relic, a shard of history chiseled in granite and marble. Here lies Russell Hutchins, a sergeant whose valor in the Marine Corps whispers of duty, and Baby Mathew Ray Welch, whose fleeting life in 1978 mourns the fragility of existence. These are not mere names but echoes of Abita Springs—a town born of healing springs that once drew seekers to its waters in the 19th century. Once a haven for the weary, Abita Springs wove its dreams into this cemetery, where ordinary lives—farmers, mothers, veterans—became eternal. The stones, some cracked by time’s relentless hand, stand as sentinels of a community that thrived amid the bayou’s embrace, their stories as vital as the roots that cradle them.
As twilight drapes its velvet cloak over Abita Springs Cemetery, the air grows heavy with the weight of ages. This is no place of restless spirits, but a cathedral of memory, where the past communes with the present. Thirty-five miles from New Orleans’ vibrant pulse, this quiet grove offers solace to those who seek the ancient. The oaks, like gothic arches, guard secrets of a town that cherishes its relics—be it the springs that gave it life or the brewery that now bears its name. To walk these paths is to touch history, to feel the pulse of lives that shaped a corner of Louisiana’s soul.
Abita Springs Cemetery beckons, dear wanderers, to those who hear the call of time’s relics. Visit its sacred paths, trace the names, and honor the stories etched in stone. On Relics of Time, we invite you to seek the past’s beauty in places like this. Like, subscribe, and share your thoughts: What historic place stirs your soul? Until we meet again, may you find eternity in the shadows.
Have you toured any cemeteries recently? Which ones?
Sources: “Information sourced from Find a Grave, BillionGraves, and USGW Archives”.