Marceaux Cemetery

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Marceaux Cemetery, located between Kaplan and Wright in Vermilion Parish, has sadly become very lost and very forgotten. The cemetery is located on private property, but after gaining permission from the Matthews Family, a quick climb over the railed gate, curious looks from a dozen or so cows, and a small beaten path lead you to a large oak tree that shades the grounds. After dodging massive amounts of cow patties, another quick hop over the cemetery's fence allows full access to the grounds. Marceaux is so overgrown and indiscernible that all but two names are barely readable among the six featured cemeteries within the tour. There are no less than thirteen souls buried within the metal fence; however, there could be more. Most of the markers are broken, missing, or worn completely off. The two marked headstones have handwritten names, yet, only one contains the birth and death dates.

The two marked names cannot be located upon further research into local newspapers. There is no mention of the birth or death of the one marker that reads May of 1925 as the date of death. Even today, the area is sparsely populated and has no doubt seen many hurricanes trample the land in the past two centuries. The history points to a small, family locale cemetery, although the cemetery's name is also the same as two other cemeteries in the area. I call the grounds Guidry Cemetery, for it is the only name now left discernable. The grounds are a reminder of what will come to pass for most private, public and municipal cemeteries in Louisiana.
Unfortunately, the state of the grounds has become the norm instead of the exception. Marceaux Cemetery is why cemeteries must be preserved by volunteer effort and donations if no state or local government can help. Every time a cemetery disappears, a library is lost.