City Park is as magical and unique as the city of New Orleans. The 1,300-acre outdoor oasis has enchanted New Orleanians since 1854, making it one of the nation’s oldest urban parks. Each year, millions of visitors stroll under the same historic oaks and picturesque moss canopies that served as the backdrop for dances, concerts and even gentlemanly duels or “affaires d’honneur” for generations.

Founded in 1865 by the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana Free and Accepted Masons, the Masonic Cemetery expresses a character distinct from the Catholic cemeteries that dominate the city. It is known for its many unusual, elaborate tombs, a reputation due in part to the cemetery’s communal nature: members of lodges pooled resources to purchase large group tombs. Occupying two oddly shaped city blocks, the cemetery is triangular in plan, with Conti Street bisecting it. The triangular footprint of the bordering streets overlaid with the cemetery’s angular internal walkways mimics the Masonic emblem of the square and compass. Cast-iron picket fences enclose its two distinct sections, while oak allées line its northern and western edges. Tombs are compactly arranged in rows parallel to Bienville Street, with a wide, paved promenade cutting through the center to provide access to smaller walkways between rows.