Myrtle Grove Cemetery
Circa 1837
Myrtle Grove Cemetery was once known as the "Protestant Cemetery." In April 1837, the City of Opelousas named a two man-committee to locate four arpents (an old French unit of land measurement) of property for a public burial ground. A sexton was appointed to Myrtle Grove in May 1842. The sexton was responsible for keeping the grounds in repair, digging graves and keeping a record of those interred. Graves had to be dug six feet deep. The charge was $5 for this service and $2.50 for a slave's grave. The poor, free of charge. No one could be buried without notifying the sexton, and, if enough daylight remained, the sexton was to have the grave ready for the burial within six hours of death.