Bilbo Cemetery

Bilbo Cemetery- Jesus Statue. skcrutcher (Atlas Obscura User)

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When driving along the I-10 into Lake Charles, LA, turning onto Veterans Memorial Blvd, you can’t help but notice the small cemetery just off the water’s edge. Old crypts and a very large statue of Jesus are visible from the roadway.

Bilbo Cemetery is listed on the National Historic Registry and is the final resting place of the “Father of Lake Charles,” John Jacob Ryan. Although the cemetery appears to be slowly sinking into the lake, it houses around 20 crypts that hold the remains of war veterans dating back to the early 19th-century. There are also a few statues of children located around the cemetery, giving the entire location an extra boost of creepiness.

Know Before You Go

The cemetery doesn't have a sign. You will see the Jesus statue rising up through the trees as you turn onto Veterans Memorial Blvd. The cemetery once had a gate, but it has long since deteriorated. You can walk into the cemetery, but stay along the path.

cemeteries