the Historic Chloe cemetery
CHLOECEMETERY.ORG
Protecting the Burial Ground of Chloe’s Early Black Community
Chloe Cemetery (also known as St. Mary's Cemetery) is a historic African American burial ground in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, near the rural community of Chloe and the town of Iowa along English Bayou. The cemetery preserves the memory of generations of families connected to the LeBleu Settlement and reflects an important chapter in the history of Southwest Louisiana.
In 1904, the land was dedicated by Eulalie St. Mary “to the inhabitants of Chloe,” establishing the cemetery as a burial ground for the community and the families who lived and worked along the bayou and surrounding farms.
Today, efforts are underway to document, restore, and preserve the cemetery so that the history of those buried there remains visible for future generations.
Why Preservation of Chloe Cemetery Matters
Across the South, many historic African American cemeteries are quietly disappearing as generations pass, records are lost, and burial grounds fall into neglect. When these sites disappear, the history of the communities they represent can disappear with them.
Chloe Cemetery holds the resting place of families connected to the LeBleu Settlement and the early Black community of Iowa and Chloe. Among those buried there are formerly enslaved individuals, early freedmen landowners, and the generations who remained in the area after emancipation, building lives along English Bayou and the surrounding farms.
Protecting the cemetery helps safeguard a rare physical record of African American life in rural Southwest Louisiana—one that reflects the resilience, labor, and family networks that shaped the region.
Preservation ensures that the stories connected to this place remain part of the historical landscape rather than being lost to time.
OUR VALUES
Respect for the Resting Place
The cemetery is sacred ground. Every effort we undertake is guided by respect for those buried there and for the families whose history is tied to the land.
Truthful History
We are committed to preserving and sharing the full history of the Chloe community, including the lives of enslaved individuals, freedmen, and the generations that followed.
Descendant Stewardship
Preservation of Chloe Cemetery is led by descendants and families connected to the community, ensuring that their voices remain central to the work.
Community Memory
Historic cemeteries hold the stories of communities that might otherwise be forgotten. Protecting this place helps ensure that those stories continue to be told.
Preservation for Future Generations
Our work is guided by the responsibility to leave the cemetery protected and documented so that future generations can understand the history of the land and the people who lived there.
Current Preservation Efforts
Historical Documentation and Commemoration
As research progresses, the Chloe African American Cemetery Preservation Association will work to document the individuals buried at the site and preserve the history connected to their lives.
Preservation efforts will include:
• identifying burial locations through historical records, oral histories, and responsible archaeological research
• documenting the stories, family connections, and historical significance of those buried at the cemetery
• preserving and stabilizing existing grave markers and burial sites
• placing respectful headstones or memorial markers for individuals whose burial locations are confirmed but currently unmarked
• developing educational materials that share the history of the cemetery, the Chloe community, and the lives of those buried there
Through careful documentation and interpretation, the project seeks to ensure that the people resting at Chloe Cemetery are remembered not only as names on a burial ground, but as individuals whose lives shaped the history of Southwest Louisiana.
