Louisiana certainly has some interesting cemeteries; people come from all over to see them. The cemeteries in New Orleans are certainly one of the most popular attractions, and Rayne, Louisiana is home to one of the few cemeteries in the country that is north-south facing. This one particular cemetery in Morse, Louisiana has some very interesting grave houses you should check out if you’re ever in the area. No one is sure why they were built or why they stopped building them, but that hasn’t stopped historians from trying to uncover the mystery.

Istre Cemetery is located in Morse, Louisiana.
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The Istre family of Mermentau Cove set aside land for the cemetery in the 1800s.
But this isn’t your average cemetery.
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There are houses built that are unlike any other; small wooden houses complete with windows, doors, and gabled roofs that are built over graves.

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No one knows for sure when the first grave house was built.
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Records dating back to the 1930s show that there were several houses built at that time. Historians believe that at one time there could have been as many as 50 grave houses in the Istre cemetery. Today, only three remain.
While no one knows for sure, historians have theories on why these houses were built.
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One theory suggests they were a type of shrine built on top of the graves. Another theory suggests they were a form of protection much like the burial vaults you would see in New Orleans. Other theories suggest it's a variation of the southern protestant tradition of grave shelters. But with no written record to go off off, we can only speculate.
In 2008, the grave houses were added to the National Register of Historic Places.
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As many as twelve grave houses remained as early as the 1980s. While only three remain today, preservation methods have been successful in keeping the three remaining houses intact.

Local filmmakers Zach, Jeremy, and Donny Broussard released a documentary of these mysterious houses in 2009. Their efforts helped get these structures on the National Register of Historic Places, and helped preserve their history for future generations.

The cemetery is located on Swift Road in Morse, LA, 70559.

Have you ever seen these grave houses? Let us know in the comments below!

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