I drive by the Valence Cemetery fairly often but I’ve never stopped by until a few days ago. I always thought it was weird to hang out in a graveyard, even in my woe-is-me goth phase. In New Orleans neighborhoods are littered with these smaller graveyards that are often overshadowed by their grander, more famous counterparts such as the St. Louis Cemetery and Greenwood Cemetery. Sadly, the Valence Cemetery, established in 1867, is neglected. Weeds and overgrown grass have taken over the walkways and encroach on the final resting places of the deceased. While these smaller sites desperately need someone to maintain them, I’ll take the solitude of a dilapidated cemetery over throngs of tourists taking selfies next to tombstones any day.
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