A Personal Cemetery Mystery

Posted on Posted in General, Stone StoriesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I have been thinking a lot lately about my connection to cemeteries. I recently read Death’s Garden Revisited, edited by Loren Rhoads. It’s a collection of 40 personal essays by people from all walks of life, regarding their own connections with cemeteries. I saw a lot of myself in those essays, and it has encouraged me to look back on past events in my own life that have attributed to my love of cemeteries. 

One of those moments that stand out, is a family story that has been passed down by my mother. I was too young at the time, so I have no memory of it, but my mother has told me the story many times.

When I was a child, I saw an angel in a cemetery.

Now you may be thinking, well yes, there are lots of angels in cemeteries! And yes, this is very true. Angel statues are a very common sight in Catholic cemeteries. Children are also known to have overactive imaginations, and I was no exception. I did have an imaginary friend growing up. But I am curious and wanted to learn more about the circumstances of this cemetery visit.

One of my earliest memories is of attending my uncle’s funeral in Elliot Lake. I was very young, maybe 5 or so, but I vividly remember the funeral parlor. I remember the smell of the parlor, as well as seeing many somber family members, sitting in dark leather armchairs. I don’t remember the cemetery though. Was this the same moment? Were we visiting the cemetery after the funeral service? 

In 2021, my mother and I took a drive to Elliott Lake to do some hiking and cemetery wandering. We visited my uncle in the cemetery. I had no recollection of being there, but my mother had vivid memories of the place. She said it looked a lot different; there had not been as many graves in the section where my uncle was laid to rest. Over the years it had become a very popular section. It was so full that the cemetery opened another section at the back, which was now about half full. The cemetery has no standing gravestones, only flat grave markers. No angel statues here. My Mom confirmed this was not the cemetery where I saw an angel.

It turns out there is MUCH more to this story. 

In the summer of 1987, My mother, father and I were visiting my uncle in Quebec for a family reunion. I would have been about 3 years old. It was planned to be a big reunion of my father’s side of the family. Unfortunately, only we showed up. My uncle was a bit dismayed but decided to not let that ruin our visit, so there was a change of plans. Since we were close to Quebec City we would visit some old stomping grounds and visit some cemeteries to visit family. There was one family member in particular that my dad and uncle wanted to find—their uncle Joseph Larochelle.

The story goes that my great-uncle, Joseph Larochelle who was blind, went out into a snowstorm with his dog. His Family members told him not to go out, because of the blustery winter weather—but he went anyway. He said he would be fine since he had his dog with him. Unfortunately, he lost his way in the storm and went missing. Tragically, both he and his dog perished in the storm. He had gotten stuck on a fence and was not able to break free. He was not found until the late spring. 

My dad and uncle did manage to find the grave of Joseph. They took a picture with the gravestone that has some details of what happened to him. The gravestone states he was blind, died February 18, and was found June 4. I don’t know the year, as the photo is a little hard to read. It was while visiting this cemetery that I saw an angel. 

  • My dad with the gravestone for Joseph Larochelle. Photo taken by my mother, ©1987

The gravestone reads: “Joseph Larochelle / Blind / Died February 18 / And Found / June 4, 19_1 / Aged __ Yrs. / R.I.P”

I have reached out to my aunts and uncles to see if they have more information, or know which cemetery he is buried in. I have not been able to find anything much so far. My searches on Find a Grave and Ancestry have not turned up anything yet. I have an idea where to look—Quebec City, but I don’t have much more than that at the moment. I would love to learn more about my great-uncle, as well as the cemetery where he is laid to rest. Is it filled with stone angels? 

When I started looking into this story, I didn’t expect to uncover a cemetery mystery. I love a good cemetery mystery, and it’s even more intriguing to have a family connection to one. I will keep researching and maybe will have an update on this story in the future. In the meantime, I will continue to go down cemetery rabbit holes looking for answers. Maybe I’ll also get closer to answering my question about my cemetery angel. 

Thanks for reading!

Cemetery Book Review: Corpses, Coffins and Crypts

Posted on Posted in Book ReviewTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

For this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to talk about Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial by Penny Colman. This was the October selection of the AGS book club last year. I had never read this author before and was excited to dive into this one.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

“Drawing on extensive historical and anthropological research, personal accounts, and interviews with people who work in the funeral industry, Penny Colman examines the compelling subjects of death and burial across cultures and societies. The text, enriched with stories both humorous and poignant, includes details about the decomposition and embalming processes (an adult corpse buried six feet deep without a coffin will usually take five to ten years to turn into a skeleton) and describes the various customs associated with containing remains (the Igala people in Nigeria have a custom of burying people in as many as twenty-seven layers of clothing). Intriguing facts are revealed at every turn; for example, in Madagascar winter was considered the corpse-turning season.

This comprehensive book also includes a list of burial sites of famous people, images in the arts associated with death, fascinating epitaphs and gravestone carvings, a chronology, a glossary, and over a hundred black-and-white photographs, most of which were taken by the author.

Penny Colman writes with compassion and intelligence and humanizes the difficult subjects of death and burial. The result is a powerful look at an inevitable part of life—death.”

  • book cover of Corpses, Coffins and Crypts by Penny Colman
    Corpses, Coffins and Crypts: A History of Burial by Penny Colman.

This book touches on so many facets of death and burial. I enjoyed the way the author weaved in her own personal stories and experiences with death. It added a very personal touch. This book is also filled with beautiful black-and-white photographs that accentuate the content. I was lucky enough to find a reasonably affordable copy on Thrift Books. My copy is a previously loved hardcover library book, that is beautifully laid out. It has a wonderful flow that makes it a very easy read, and hard to put down.

This would be a great introduction for those who are interested in death and burial but may be bit intimidated by heavy reading. Colman touches on so many different aspects of death and burial, in a way that holds your attention and connects you to the history. I love that a handy chronology and glossary is also included at the back of the book. 

I would highly recommend this book for those who are curious about death and burial practices, as well as seasoned taphophiles! It has a little something for everyone.

Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. Please feel free to share in the comments. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you.

References:

  1. Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial | Goodreads.com

Cemetery Recipes: Glazed Blueberry Pie

Posted on Posted in Cemetery Recipes, Tombstone RecipesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

For the last two weeks, I have been feeling a bit under the weather. I was struggling with a bad head cold, that turned out to be COVID-19. Before I got sick and went into isolation, I had done groceries and specifically bought the ingredients I needed to make a gravestone recipe that I had been eager to try. Once I was on the mend I decided to try some baking to lift my spirits, and use up the blueberries before they went bad. So for today’s blog post, I wanted to share my experience making Margaret Davis’ Glazed Blueberry Pie.

The grave of Margaret Davis can be found in Mountain View Memorial Park, in Washington State. Margaret rests with her husband Eddy, beneath a beautiful black marble monument designed as a bench. Their grave is adorned with a beautiful color portrait of the couple, doves of peace, the American flag, and a bible quote. If you look to the left side of the monument, you will also find a note From the Kitchen of Margaret Davis, her Glazed Blueberry Pie recipe. 

  • Grave of H. Margaret Rees Davis. Photo by Find a Grave contributor Debbie O (Photo used with permission).

I was not able to find much information about Margaret in life, but from her gravestone, we know that Margaret was born on the 4th of July in 1918. Her husband Eddy was born in September of the same year. They were married on Boxing Day in 1942. Margaret passed away on November 6th, 2004 at the age of 86. Eddy passed away 6 years later at the age of 90. Underneath the recipe that adorns their gravestone is the symbol of the Freemasons, telling us that Eddy was a member. There are also a couple of other symbols as well that could tell us more about the couple’s affiliations in life, but they are cut off in the photos I have seen, and I can’t decipher them. There are currently no photos of the recipe side of the gravestone on Find a Grave, but a quick google search should bring up photos of this cemetery recipe.

  • Cemetery Recipes: Glazed Blueberry Pie

Here is the Recipe:

From the Kitchen of Margaret Davis

Glazed Blueberry Pie

  • Soften a 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese.
  • Spread in bottom of cooled, cooked pastry shell.
  • Fill shell with 3 cups of blueberries.
  • To an additional 1 cup of blueberries add 1 cup of water.
  • Bring just to boiling.
  • Simmer 2 min.
  • Strain reserving juice, about 1/2 cup.
  • Combine 3/4 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons corn starch.
  • Gradually add reserved juice.
  • Cook, stirring constantly until thick and clear.
  • Cool slightly and add:
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Pour over berries in pastry shell and chill.

This recipe is straightforward and easy to follow. The only issue I came across is the fact that blueberries are not currently in season here. So, the blueberries I was able to find were the non-organic kind that are comically large, and because of that are not very flavourful. And no, I didn’t lose my sense of taste or smell while I was sick. I will need to try this recipe again in the summer months when the local blueberry patches are ripe and plentiful. Because the blueberries were oversized, also messed with the measurements a little bit. I ended up using less than the 3 cups the recipe calls for, as my pie shell could just not fit them all. 

Despite all that, this recipe turned out deliciously! It’s almost like a blueberry cheesecake, but much easier to make. And because I made it during my isolation, I had it all to myself! That is another reason to make this pie again in the summer, so I can share it with friends and family. Baking and enjoying Margaret’s recipe helped relieve some of the boredom I was feeling at the time and helped take my mind off things.  

Will you be trying out this recipe? Do you have a family pie recipe that you would put on your gravestone? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

Stone Stories: Coniston Train Crash Memorial

Posted on Posted in Stone StoriesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Last February, I learned about a local tragedy that has left a hole in the community of Coniston. A heart-felt roadside memorial was erected, to ensure that the men who were lost that day are never forgotten. This monument sits at the train crossing where the tragic events took place. Last spring, my mother and I visited the memorial to pay our respects. 

This past Thursday, February 9th, marked the 72nd anniversary of the train crash in Coniston.


  • Coniston Train Crash Memorial, Coniston ON ©2022

The monument reads: “This monument has been / erected to remember the / nine men who lost their / lives, and the many who were / injured at the train / crossing in the tragic / bus and train accident / on February 9, 1951. / Primo Creama / Herbert Conlon / Alex Beauparlant / David Martin / Eugene Leclair / Joseph Tremblay / Paul Sharko / Ernie Cooper / Never to be forgotten”

The early morning, of February 9th, had been incredibly cold. According to the Coniston Historical Group, the temperature had dropped to 48 degrees below zero that morning, which caused low visibility. The passenger train was also running late that morning.1 Between 8 and 8:15 a.m. tragedy struck—a CPR passenger train collided with a local bus at the railway crossing in Coniston. 31 people were injured, and 9 were dead.2 The bus had been carrying residents as well as smelter workers on their way home from a graveyard shift. The 9 men who lost their lives that day were from the same shift at the INCO smelter.1 

  • “Aerial photo shows scene at Coniston where crowd clusters around bus after death blow by train. / Eyewitnesses say the scene was “almost too horrible to describe” after bodies went flying through the air. -Star Aerial photo by Frank Teskey. Toronto Daily Star (now The Toronto Star), Friday, Feb. 9, 1951.
  • “Train, Bus Smash Kills 9 Canadians” Madera Tribune, Volume 59, Number 265, 9 February 1951.

The monument sits beside the railway tracks on the corner of Government Road and Edward Avenue, at the site where the horrific accident took place. I haven’t been able to determine exactly when the monument was erected, but from what I have read it was possibly erected by the Lions Club, in the early 2000s, and is now maintained by the Coniston Historical Group.

  • Coniston Train Crash Memorial, Coniston ON ©2022

On the anniversary of the accident, a candlelight vigil is erected in the early morning at the monument. A custom-made INCO triangle candle holder, holds nine lit candles, one for each of the men who sadly lost their lives that day. 

Alex Beauparlant 

Herbert Conlon 

Ernie Cooper 

Primo Crema 

Lucien Landriault 

Eugene Leclair 

David Martin 

Paul Sharko 

Joseph Tremblay 

At the peak of the triangle is a 10th candle, that is lit in memory of the 31 who survived the crash, and for those in the community who were left behind, to mourn their friends’ families, and colleagues. It’s a beautiful memorial, that brings the community together, to share memories of their loved ones and make sure that they will never be forgotten. 

My mother and I visited the memorial in late May of 2022. It was a very sunny and beautiful day. As we drove to Coniston, only a short drive away from our home, I remember wondering why I had never heard of this tragic event before. I had only learned about it after having seen a Facebook post from the Coniston Historical Group, earlier that year. 

The monument sits very close to the railway tracks, if you didn’t know it was there—you might miss it. There is a small parking area right next to the monument, with a little walkway that leads up to the memorial. The site is very well taken care of, and you can feel the love the community has for this memorial and what it symbolizes. I think what makes this memorial a bit surreal, is the fact that it sits right next to the train tracks where the accident happened so many years ago. I know it must have looked a lot different then, but it’s a very somber feeling to look at the railway tracks just behind the monument and know that that is where it happened.

This monument is a cenotaph, a marker where the deceased have been laid to rest elsewhere. As I read and researched I became curious as to where these 9 men now rest. I have been able to locate the resting place of three of them; Alex Beauparlant, David Martin, and Paul Sharko. I hope to find the other 6 and visit them this summer to pay my respects.

I always find roadside memorials incredibly moving. This was a tragic accident that changed the fabric of the small town of Coniston forever, but it will never be forgotten. I’d like to thank the Coniston Historical Group for all the good work they do to maintain this memorial, and for their educational posts on Facebook, as they continue to share the history and story of Coniston. So much history could be lost if it wasn’t for groups like theirs.

Thanks for reading.

References:

  1. Canadian Disaster Database | Government of Canada
  2. Facebook post | Coniston Historical Group
  3. Toronto Star
  4. Madera Tribune

Blog updates & more…

Posted on Posted in General, UpdateTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I realize I owe you all a blog post after missing last Sunday, but I don’t have anything that is quite ready to share with you yet. I have a few posts that I have been working on, but more research is needed. So instead, this will be an update, to share what I have been working on and what you can look forward to on the blog in the coming months. 

  • Blog updates and more

Most recently, I have been working on a piece inspired by Death’s Garden Revisited, edited by Loren Rhoads. My piece is about my own personal connection to cemeteries. After speaking with my Mother about the subject, it created more questions than answers. As we chatted we uncovered our own little family cemetery mystery, which sent me down yet another research rabbit hole. I’m sure you all will find that story very interesting. 

I have also been saving a cemetery story, especially for this month, as February is the anniversary of this local tragedy. I need a little more time to work through the research and sort through my photos from last summer’s road trip. That will be another post to look forward too.

Along with writing and creating content for the blog, I have also been taking an online course to sharpen my writing skills. The course is through Atlas Obscura and is called Historical Nonfiction: Research-based writing with Hadley Meares. This 4-week course promises to help you write historical essays using a research-based lens. I am on week 3 of the course and it has already solidified the good writing habits I already had while introducing new habits, methods, and resources to my writer’s toolbox. I look forward to sharing the article that comes from completing the course. 

Amidst all this writing I have also been updating the portfolio section of my website. I have posted many additions to my existing web portfolios and have added some new ones entirely. Sorting through, editing, and posting my archive of cemetery photos has been a great way to look back at all the cemetery adventures I have had over the years.

I have also been working on researching some new areas and cemeteries to visit. I have some great cemetery road trips already planned for this summer and can’t wait to get back on the road and photographing. I plan on visiting Owen Sound, for part two of Chasing Tom Thomson, while also stopping in at some fun interesting spots along the way. I also have another trip planned for early spring which will include my first visit to a loyalist cemetery, and seeing table stones in person. I’m pretty excited about that trip.

I have also been busy getting some submissions ready for a local photography contest, and a gallery showing. I am not quite sure how my cemetery work will be received, but I think they could be great opportunities to get my work out there, regardless of the outcome.

Hopefully, some of these upcoming posts sound interesting and will have you coming back to read more. As always, if you have any book or cemetery recommendations, or cemetery stories of your own to share, please leave me a comment or send me an email at hello@chantallarochelle.ca

Thanks for reading! 

A Collection of Doves

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This week, I had originally planned on posting a cemetery recipe for Red Lantern Cheese dip, from the gravestone of Debra Ann Nelson. But, I had some issues finding the correct ingredients and the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. So I will continue my hunt for the elusive ingredients. 

Instead, this week I will share a collection of Dove’s. If you have been following this blog for a little while, you may have noticed that I sometimes like to share collections of my favorite photos of some of the cemetery symbols I find on my cemetery walks. I have been photographing cemeteries for over 15 years, and in that time I have noticed some repetition of certain symbols and motifs. I find cemetery symbolism so interesting and love looking at what the different variations of a symbol mean.

Doves are not as common a symbol as lambs in Northern Ontario, but they represent similar ideas. Doves commonly are a symbol of peace, but when used in funerary art, they also represent innocence and the Holy Spirit. Doves may appear in many forms, such as sculpture or bas-relief. There are also different variations of doves, and each carries additional meaning.

  • St. John’s Anglican Cemetery, North Bay ON ©2019
  • Union Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2021
  • East Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood ON ©2022
  • Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Massey ON ©2022

Sometimes a dove may be depicted carrying something in its mouth. A dove with an olive branch in its mouth may represent peace. This symbolism also can be traced to Ancient Greece. A dove carrying a broken flower bud in its mouth often symbolizes a life cut short. 

  • Grandview Cemetery, Massey ON ©2022

The position and angle of the dove may have some significance as well. A dove flying downward is thought to represent the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven.

  • Locks Cemetery, Huntsville ON ©2022

Another variation of a dove you might find, is a dove that looks like it might be dead. A dead dove sadly represents a life cut short. This variation may also be found lying in front of, or on top of a tree stump; which is also a symbol of a life cut short.

  • Webbwood Protestant Cemetery, Webbwood ON ©2022
  • St. John’s Anglican Cemetery, North Bay ON ©2019
  • Calvin Township Public Cemetery also known as Union Cemetery Calvin Township, Eau Claire ON ©2022

Have you come across a different variation of this symbol? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
  2. Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

Cemetery Book Review: Death’s Garden Revisited

Posted on Posted in Book ReviewTagged , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

For my first book review of 2023, I wanted to talk about Death’s Garden Revisited, edited by Loren Rhoads. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book since early last year. I follow Loren on social media and was excited to hear she was editing another installment of Death’s Garden. I was an early backer for the Kickstarter campaign to bring this book to life. It was so fun to follow along on its journey. 

Here is the synopsis from Blurb.com: “Death’s Garden Revisited collects 40 powerful personal essays—accompanied by full-color photographs—to illuminate the reasons people visit cemeteries. Spanning the globe from Iceland to Argentina and from Portland to Prague, Death’s Garden Revisited explores the complex web of relationships between the living and those who have passed before. Genealogists and geocachers, travelers and tour guides, anthropologists, historians, pagan priestesses, and ghost hunters all venture into cemeteries in these essays. Along the way, they discover that cemeteries don’t only provide a rewarding end to a pilgrimage, they can be the perfect location for a first date or a wedding, the highlight of a family vacation, a cure for depression, and the best possible place to grasp history. Not to mention that cemetery-grown fruit is the sweetest.”

  • Death’s Garden Revisited, edited by Loren Rhoads

I received my copy, a beautiful softcover edition, in early November of last year. It’s 8 x 10 size really shows off the full-color photography that accompanies each essay. The short essay format, and writing styles create an enjoyable, and easy reading experience. If you are short on time, it’s easy to pick up and read an essay or two. I also enjoyed the range—from first-date stories to geocaching expeditions—each story shares personal insights into how easy it is to fall in love with cemeteries. Each personal story is so unique and at the same time so relatable, in my opinion. I loved these glimpses into others’ relationships with cemeteries. It made me feel less alone, and more comfortable in the fact that my own relationship with cemeteries isn’t that out of the ordinary. 

There was also one essay that I found pleasantly surprising! As a Canadian taphophile, I rarely read stories about Canadian cemeteries, as there seems to be much more literature on the historic cemeteries of Europe and the United States. So I was caught off guard when I found myself reading about a small cemetery that I had visited this past summer, in the small town of Massey, Ontario.

That particular essay did make me realize that not all the photos correspond to the essays they precede and follow. I had started reading the book with that assumption in mind, and when I read that essay, the photos that accompanied it made me question whether or not I had missed some stunning statuary when I had visited. After referring to the photo credits, it turned out that the image was indeed from a different cemetery. Just something to keep in mind as you read.

This is such an enjoyable read that runs the gamut of emotions. I think there may be a story for everyone in here. This would be a great book for someone interested in learning more about why people are so drawn to cemeteries. It’s also a great read for taphophiles, especially for those who are looking for kinship. You are not alone. There is a whole community of people who love cemeteries, each for their own unique reasons. 

Have you read Death’s Garden Revisited? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments. I am also always looking for cemetery-related book recommendations. Please feel free to also share any book suggestions in the comments. 

If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Death’s Garden Revisited | Blurb

Cemetery Road Trip: Visiting Asylum Point Cemetery

Posted on Posted in Road TripTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Today on the blog, I wanted to share a cemetery road trip from Autumn 2022. I have been thinking about this place a lot lately and wanted to share my experience. Visiting the Asylum Point Cemetery was high on my to-do list when my fiancé and I visited Penetanguishene for our haunted holiday. I talked Chris’s ear off on the drive up about what I could remember of its history. My interest in the place was even more peaked when we got to our Airbnb. On one of the white boards in the main entranceway, someone had written in red marker; “Visit the Asylum Cemetery!”

Asylum Point Cemetery is located on the grounds of what is known today as the Regional Division of the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.1 Over the years it has seen many different forms. It began as a Reformatory for Boys in 1859 and operated for 44 years.2 In 1904 it saw new life as the Asylum for the Insane.3 1933 saw the addition of Oak Ridge, also referred to at the time as the Criminally Insane building.4 All the buildings are fairly close together, creating a small campus. As we toured the campus in search of the cemetery, I noticed a few white houses lining the road to the cemetery. One was directly across from it. I’m not sure what these buildings had once been used for, but now they looked abandoned and boarded up.

  • Across the street from the Asylum Point Cemetery, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

Many of the original buildings are no longer standing, as the center has modernized its facilities. But, there are still some remnants from the Asylum’s past that can be found; like the cemetery, and the original Oak Ridge gates. The gates now open to an empty road, that leads I’m not sure where. I didn’t have much time to explore the grounds on our visit, aside from the cemetery, but I did get a chance to stop and admire the entrance gates, which are said to have been built by the patients themselves.

The original Oak Ridge gates, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

According to the inscription on the gate of Asylum Point Cemetery, the cemetery was in operation from 1904 to 1970 and is the final resting place of over 300 long-term patients. Commemorative stones were erected at the cemetery detailing its history in 2004, the 100th anniversary of the Psychiatric Hospital and its cemetery. 

  • “In Memoriam / From 1904 to 1970, / this cemetery was / the burial place for / many of the / long-term patients / who lived out the / latter part of their / lives at the / psychiatric hospital / on this site. / Over 300 people / are interred here. / The Volunteer / Association and / tthe Mental Health / Centre / Penetanguishene, / May 2004” Asylum Point Cemetery, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

It was a grey and dreary day when I visited the cemetery, but I didn’t let that deter me. When I walked through the gates, after stopping to read the inscription, I was a little surprised by what I found. The cemetery seemed to be just a sprawling green lawn, with no markers aside from the stone at the entrance that bares the cemetery name. There is a large weeping willow tree on the right side of the cemetery, so I walked underneath it to stay out of the drizzling rain. I scanned the grass for anything that might resemble a grave marker. I had read that the grave markers in this cemetery, in the early years, had been created by the patients using wood and brass stamps to mark the names and dates.5 I was about to start making my way back to the car when I noticed a small slab of cement covered in leaves and debris. It wasn’t an empty green space after all. After I spotted one, I was able to spot them more clearly and found more and more small rectangular grave markers dotting the lawn. The rain had darkened the cement making them blend in with the autumn leaves. Many markers were becoming overgrown with moss, while others were slowly being swallowed up by the earth. 

Asylum Point Cemetery, Penetanguishene ON ©2022

This was my first time visiting an Asylum cemetery, and I was very touched by the handmade markers. I tried to put myself in the place of the patients that would have been making these gravestones. I was very mindful as I made my way back to the car. 

I have only briefly touched on the history of Oak Ridge here, but if you are interested in some further reading, there is a great resource curated by Jennifer L. Bazar. It’s called the Remembering Oak Ridge Digital Archive and Exhibit. It features in-depth looks at the history and timeline of Oak Ridge, and includes photos. I would highly recommend checking it out if you are interested in this side of Canadian history.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Origins | Remembering Oak Ridge Digital Archive and Exhibit
  2. Reformatory for Boys | Remembering Oak Ridge Digital Archive and Exhibit
  3. Asylum for the Insane | Remembering Oak Ridge Digital Archive and Exhibit
  4. Establishing Oak Ridge | Remembering Oak Ridge Digital Archive and Exhibit
  5. Asylum Point Cemetery | Remembering Oak Ridge Digital Archive and Exhibit

Year in Review – 2022

Posted on Posted in GeneralTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

2022 has been a very good year for Cemetery Photography by Chantal Larochelle!

I wanted to take this opportunity to look back at some of the highlights and achievements from this past year.

My biggest goal for 2022 was consistency. It has been an issue that I have struggled with for years. I finally found myself working and maintaining a consistent posting schedule on the blog. The top 5 most viewed posts on the blog this year were: Haunted Cemetery Road Trip – The Beck House, A Gift Guide for Taphophiles, My Local Haunted Cemetery, Finding the abandoned Happy Valley cemetery, and 25 Cemeteries in the City of Greater Sudbury. It’s an amazing feeling to share these stories with you, and grow this passion project of mine.

2022 was a year full of adventure! I visited 78 cemeteries this year and was able to break my record for the number of cemeteries visited in one day—15. A personal best! I visited my first pet cemetery and went on many fun and fascinating cemetery road trips. There are a few that stand out, like hiking through Algonquin Provincial Park and finding the first grave of Tom Thomson. That was a bucket list trip for me, and one of my biggest adventures so far. A lot of planning and research went into that trip, and the journey was incredibly worth it. Spending the night at the haunted Beck House was another highlight for me. Haunted holidays with my fiancé are always my favorite, but this year will be hard to top. This beautiful victorian style mansion is beautiful on its own, but its history makes it even more interesting. We had an amazing visit and made sure to pay our respects to the Becks, at their family mausoleum. I look forward to sharing more cemetery road trip adventures from 2022 but I am excited to see what 2023 will bring.

I am amazed at the following I have been able to foster on my social media channels. Over 2 000 followers on Instagram! Wow, what a milestone! Thank you to everyone who has liked, followed, commented, and shared my social and website posts. It means the world to me. I am so proud to be part of the online cemetery community, and love connecting with like-minded taphophiles. Because of this, I have branched out from Facebook and Instagram to Flickr and Pinterest as well. 

Cemetery Photography by Chantal Larochelle, Top Nine images on Instagram for 2022

This year has also been one of recognition! I am so thankful to all those who have shared my posts and photos. Not only was I featured in the March 2022 Ancestor Hunting newsletter, under Links we like. I was also asked by the Sudbury Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society to write something for their newsletter. My post Cemetery Symbolism in Sudbury District Cemeteries was published in the December issue of Ancestor Hunting. My Gift Guide for Taphophiles also garnered some attention and was shared in the Association for Gravestone Studies November e-newsletter. 

I feel that I am continuing to grow in my writing and am slowly finding my voice. I love sharing my cemetery adventures and am so happy that I have found an audience. I hope to continue my growth as a writer into the new year, by honing my skills and sharing even more stone stories and insights.

Thank you to everyone who has followed along with me on this journey! Sharing my passion for cemeteries with you all has been an amazing experience. I look forward to continuing to share my photography and adventures with you and seeing what 2023 will bring.

Happy New Year Everyone!