Michelle Stanard Duhon is the owner of a unique company: Bayou Preservation. Most of Duhon's work involves repairing old tombs in New Orleans. While the majority of the tombs Duhon works on date back to the early 1800s, she has also repaired tombs that were built as early as the late 1700s. As locals know, New Orleanians take the city's cemeteries and tombs very seriously because they reflect and preserve an important facet of New Orleans' rich history. In this podcast, Duhon explains that repairing old tombs involves a great many dos and don'ts. For example, mortar that is too hard can damage old soft bricks. She also describes the various types of plaster mixes she uses and explains the differences among the three types of plaster commonly found in many of New Orleans' old houses. Duhon also tells us why painting an old tomb with latex paint is not the best way to protect old plaster.
Podcast: Preserving New Orleans Tombs – A Science or An Art?

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