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GC103.JPG

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Cristoforo Colombo Society Tomb Metairie Cemetery New Orleans, Louisiana Perched atop the Societa Cristoforo Colombo tomb, a life size statue of the great Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus, points toward the New World. In the centuries to come, many Italians followed him to America, but not all achieved his station in life. Many of these Italians, and other nationalities as well, formed fraternal or benevolent societies that were patterned after American organizations such as the Elks and the Masons. These societies, besides being a place to gather and talk, contracted with doctors and hospitals to provide access to basic medical care. The majority of the societies also provided a place of burial at a modest cost. By their nature, the society tombs had a finite amount of space, so one’s stay in the tomb was a temporary affair. After an appropriate duration the deceased’s bones were scooped up and stacked like so much cord wood, or in some instances the bones would be wrapped in a lead sheet, sealed and then stacked up like so much cord wood. Sometimes these bone warehouses, known as ossuaries, were part of the tomb and other times they were off site. There are only a few active society tombs in New Orleans today. The Cristoforo Colombo Society is no longer active and this tomb has been refurbished and converted to a community mausoleum where occupants are now guaranteed a permanent residence.