The final resting place of New Orleans Voodoo queen Marie Laveau has been restored to its original state. The refinished tomb in Cemetery No. 1 will be unveiled this Friday, on Halloween.
According to NOLA.com, Bayou Preservation was hired in August by the Archdiocese of New Orleans and Save Our Cemeteries to return the monument to its 200-year-old original state. The restoration cost $10,000.
About a year ago, someone slathered a thick layer of pink latex paint all over Laveau's tomb, and visitors over the years often left deep carvings of letters and symbols into the crumbling plaster. Tour guides reported seeing visitors disturbing or removing items from tombs.
Preservation workers cleaned the tomb's marble, replaced the plaster and repaired the roof. The refinished tomb is surrounded by a temporary barricade.
The Archdiocese recently installed security cameras at St. Louis No. 1 to deter vandalism.