New Orleans has no shortage of cemeteries. People come from all over the world just to see our unique cemeteries, like the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and Marie Laveau’s tomb. You’ve probably passed this particular cemetery a million times and never thought much about it, but Odd Fellow’s Rest is one of the city’s oldest cemeteries, and it has an interesting history behind it.

Odd Fellows Rest is located at the corner of Canal and City Park Avenue.
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You've probably driven by it hundreds of times.
The cemetery dates back to 1847, and it was created as a final resting place for the members of the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, one of the largest fraternal organizations in the country at the time.
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It’s one of the oldest cemeteries in the city, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Over the years, the cemetery has fallen into neglect, and Mother Nature is reclaiming her territory.
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With no real owner available, the property has deteriorated more and more over the years.

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Today, the property is off limits to the public, but it wasn’t always!
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Until a few years ago, you could go to a nearby business to be let in. Rumor has it if you brought flowers, the staff would unlock the gate for you. You would then be given a matchbook with a phone number on it so you could call it to be let out.
While you can’t go in the cemetery anymore, you can get a good view of it from the front gate.
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You can also grab a coffee from the cafe inside the Herb Import Company and head out to their back patio which has a unique view of Odd Fellows Rest.
As most historical landmarks in the city go, Odd Fellows Rest is known to be haunted.
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Allegedly haunted by the spirit of a man named Mr. Mike, who has been spotted walking the grounds.

Check out this video YouTube user tattobil32 made of the cemetery. It’s a few years old, but they were able to go into the cemetery and check out the tombs.

Did you ever give the password of flowers to be let in to the cemetery? Let us know in the comments below!

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