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No one knows why the Cajun
Catholic settlers in the Acadiana Prairie region of south Louisiana began building grave houses. There are numerous legends about how the tradition started. The significance of the grave houses is uncertain; historians have variously proposed that the houses were a form of
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in 2009. The film documents the mystery of the houses, their historical significance and the filmmakers' efforts to have them listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. Locals estimate that at least forty grave houses once stood in the Istre Cemetery alone and twelve remained in Istre
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It is important to distinguish between grave shelters and grave houses. Shelters, common in
Protestant southern cemeteries, are primarily built with a roof, four corner posts and a fence protecting an in-ground burial site. Grave houses are complete, miniature houses with siding, hinged doors,
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Cemetery as recently as the 1980s. Today only three original houses remain. Since the film's release, a fourth house has been built by
Leonard Smith, a local resident and caretaker of the cemetery.
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grave houses. The structures were built in 1925 (Istre Grave House), 1935 (Henry Grave House), and circa 1900 (LeBlanc Grave House); they each resemble a small gable-roofed house.
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protection or a local interpretation of burial vaults. The houses resemble the grave shelters of the
327:"National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Istre Cemetery Grave Houses, Acadia Parish, LA"
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Local filmmakers Zach, Donny and Jeremy C. Broussard released their historical documentary
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Along Swift Road, about 0.68 miles (1.09 km) south of intersection with Legros Road
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358:. Louisiana Office of Cultural Development, Division of Historic Preservation
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250:. The houses are the only three known surviving examples of traditional
378:"Little Houses: Filmmakers lead effort to preserve cemetery tradition"
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The LeBlanc Grave House before the family began restoration efforts.
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Cemeteries on the
National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana
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National
Register of Historic Places in Acadia Parish, Louisiana
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are three historic grave houses located in Istre
Cemetery in
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Buildings and structures in Acadia Parish, Louisiana
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History of the
National Register of Historic Places
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913:Buildings and structures completed in 1935
908:Buildings and structures completed in 1925
903:Buildings and structures completed in 1900
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438:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
325:National Register Staff (February 2007).
35:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
258:windows and sometimes ornate interiors.
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302:"National Register Information System"
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872:National Register of Historic Places
307:National Register of Historic Places
279:National Register of Historic Places
277:The grave houses were added to the
211:LeBlanc, Henry & Istre families
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353:"Istre Cemetery Grave Houses"
104:Show map of the United States
16:United States historic place
807:National Historic Landmarks
240:Istre Cemetery Grave Houses
27:Istre Cemetery Grave Houses
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216:NRHP reference
172:0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
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329:. National Park Service
825:Keeper of the Register
281:on February 21, 2008.
845:Contributing property
312:National Park Service
153:30.11561°N 92.56533°W
79:Show map of Louisiana
695:St. John the Baptist
341:ten photos from 2007
812:Bridges and Tunnels
158:30.11561; -92.56533
149: /
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840:Historic district
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232:February 21, 2008
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760:West Baton Rouge
540:East Baton Rouge
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126:Morse, Louisiana
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314:. July 9, 2010.
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392:External links
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229:Added to NRHP
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765:West Carroll
630:Natchitoches
545:East Carroll
402:Find a Grave
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360:. Retrieved
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331:. Retrieved
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305:
276:
270:
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264:Upland South
260:
256:
239:
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122:Nearest city
800:Other lists
715:St. Tammany
680:St. Charles
675:St. Bernard
645:Plaquemines
362:January 20,
156: /
132:Coordinates
882:Categories
750:Washington
730:Terrebonne
720:Tangipahoa
705:St. Martin
700:St. Landry
685:St. Helena
615:Livingston
555:Evangeline
485:Beauregard
475:Assumption
285:References
144:92°33′55″W
141:30°06′56″N
740:Vermilion
690:St. James
660:Red River
625:Morehouse
605:Lafourche
600:Lafayette
585:Jefferson
575:Iberville
530:Concordia
525:Claiborne
520:Catahoula
505:Calcasieu
490:Bienville
480:Avoyelles
470:Ascension
452:by parish
442:Louisiana
333:March 16,
248:Louisiana
898:Acadiana
710:St. Mary
665:Richland
640:Ouachita
595:La Salle
560:Franklin
510:Caldwell
252:Acadiana
223:07000545
208:Built by
196:and 1935
180:ca. 1900
114:Location
755:Webster
655:Rapides
635:Orleans
620:Madison
610:Lincoln
580:Jackson
515:Cameron
495:Bossier
198: (
190: (
182: (
858:Portal
745:Vernon
725:Tensas
670:Sabine
570:Iberia
535:DeSoto
460:Acadia
188:, 1925
735:Union
565:Grant
500:Caddo
465:Allen
450:Lists
381:(PDF)
356:(PDF)
339:With
244:Morse
177:Built
775:Winn
364:2015
335:2017
238:The
200:1935
192:1925
184:1900
169:Area
440:in
400:at
218:No.
884::
310:.
304:.
293:^
246:,
860::
430:e
423:t
416:v
383:.
366:.
337:.
202:)
194:)
186:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
