I had the idea for this collection when I was wandering through Maple Ridge Cemetery in Thessalon. I found some very interesting wood markers there, and it reminded me of some other interesting wood markers I have found in the past. So, for today’s blog post, I wanted to share a collection of wooden grave markers.
In North America, there was a time when wooden markers were more common. Between 1861 and 1873, wood markers would have been common for graves of Civil War soldiers, but over time marble became more favorable because of its durability.1 Due to the nature of the material, wood is more susceptible to natural decomposition and wood-boring insects. Over a long period of time, the wood just rots away.
Today, wood markers are not a very common sight in Northern Ontario cemeteries. They often tug at the heartstrings, as wooden markers are usually handmade, and you can see they were made with love. Unfortunately, if they are not used as a temporary marker the wood can become hard to read, and eventually falls apart.
I would argue that this is one of the best reasons why photographing gravestones is important. Over time, these wooden grave markers will be lost to time, so documenting them helps preserve the memory of the deceased. It creates records for those looking to piece together their family history and become great resources.
Have you found wooden grave markers in your local cemeteries? I would love to read about your finds, in the comments.
For this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to talk about Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography by Douglas Keister. I have been meaning to share this one for a while now. This is one of my favorite cemetery books, and one of my go-to reference books when it comes to looking up symbolism. I see it pop up now and then on the cemetery side of Instagram and Facebook and thought I should finally share my thoughts on it.
This book has been on my bookshelf for a very long time and it is something I go back to over and over again. It is a great resource for explaining the meaning and history behind most of the symbolism and iconography you will come across in a cemetery. Every symbol has a meaning, and the descriptions can range from simple to quite in-depth. The book itself is compact, so it’s easy to slip it into your hiking or camera bag if you want to take it with you on your cemetery travels. It’s filled with full-color photos as well to help identify all the variety of symbols you might come across.
Here is a snippet of the book synopsis from Goodreads.com: “Stories in Stone provides history along with images of a wide variety of common and not-so-common cemetery symbols and offers an in-depth examination of stone relics and the personal and intimate details they display; flora and fauna, religious icons, society symbols, and final impressions of how the deceased wished to be remembered. Douglas Keister has created a practical field guide that is compact and portable, perfect for those interested in family histories and genealogical research.”
I don’t recall where I picked up my copy, but it is a reference I use often. I never bring mine with me on my cemetery travels, but my cloth-bound hardcover copy has a special place at my desk for easy access when I need to look something up. This book covers iconography from A to Z, as well as the different art styles and architecture that can be found in cemeteries. It covers everything from religious and military symbols to fraternal organizations and secret societies. Douglas Keister is also an amazing photographer and his beautiful color photos of detailed gravestone symbols add depth to the descriptions. It also has a very thorough index at the back, which is very handy for moving back and forth throughout the book.
The name Douglas Keister may sound familiar to you. This is not the first book of his that I have reviewed. Back in July 2022, I reviewed his book Going out in Style: The Architecture of Eternity. You can read that review here. Douglas is no stranger to cemeteries and has written quite a few books about them. He is a photographer, author, and co-author of forty-five critically acclaimed books, twenty-five of which are on architecture.2
I highly recommend this book to any budding taphophiles and those interested in learning more about cemetery symbolism and history. This book would be a handy tool for genealogists as well, as many interesting and thoughtful things can be learned about the deceased based on what is on their gravestone.
This book has been an invaluable resource for me. I have always loved learning more about the stories that gravestones can tell us, and finding new symbols to research and learn about is one of my favorite things. It’s a beautiful, high quality book, that I think is an essential addition to any taphophiles library.
Have your read Stories in Stone? 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 yours 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.
If you’re a long-time reader of my blog, you may remember a post I wrote last year about searching for the first grave of Tom Thomson.
Yes, this famous Canadian painter has two final resting places. Although there is speculation on where he actually rests in peace. Last August, my mother and I went on a camping trip in Algonquin Park, to find the spot of his first burial. This August, we wanted to pay our respects at his second, and supposedly final resting place.
Tom Thomson is one of Canada’s most notable painters and a forefather of the Group of Seven. To this day, his death remains a mystery. He was last seen alive on July 8, 1917. He was setting out on a solo trip on Canoe Lake in his signature dove-grey canoe. Eight days later, on July 16th, his body was found floating in the lake. The story goes that he was hastily buried in Mowat Cemetery, on Canoe Lake. When his family found out, they had his remains exhumed and brought to Leith, Ontario to be buried in the Leith United Churchyard.1 Many questions remain; What happened to Thomson? Was his body really moved? This is where the details get muddy, and almost immediately rumors swirled about how Thomson died, and where his resting place truly lies. Over the years there have been many attempts to find out the truth, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Maybe we will never know…
Since my mother and I had made the trip to visit Canoe Lake last year, we thought it only fitting to make a trip to Owen Sound this summer to pay our respects at Thomson’s second gravesite. Visiting Owen Sound and Leith also gave us the chance to see Thomson’s artwork in person. Our first stop when we arrived in Owen Sound, was to visit the Tom Thomson Art Gallery, lovingly referred to as The TOM.
The TOM, of course, is named after the iconic Canadian landscape artist. It has a nationally significant collection of contemporary and historical art, including artifacts and important works by Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven.2
My mother and I were both excited to see Thomson’s original paintings, having only seen prints at the art centre in Algonquin Park the summer before. The small collection of his works on display at the time we visited was beautiful. It’s easy to see why he was sometimes called the Canadian Van Gogh. The thing that struck me right away was how small these canvases’ were, small enough to be packed up into a canoe. It was easy to imagine Thomson sitting on the shores of Canoe Lake, bringing these small canvases’ to life.
Along with seeing Thomson’s beautiful work, we also had the chance to see life as Thomson saw it, through photographs he had taken himself. The exhibit Tom Thomson: Field of Vision presents 40 photographs that were taken by Thomson. His niece Jessie Fisk, discovered a small bundle of photo negatives that were captured by the artist, supposedly taken during the last seven years of his life. This collection of photographs presents an intimate look into Thomson’s life, and experiences, through his own lens.3
It was an interesting experience to look at these photos and to see through Thomson’s eyes, in a way. The photo that stood out to me the most was of a gravestone. It’s the gravestone of James Watson, thought to be the first person buried at Mowat Cemetery. That means that Thomson had visited his future resting place while he was alive. I wonder if he ever thought that he would one day be buried there? It’s interesting to note how legible the stone was at that time. Today, the stone is barely legible, with just a faint indication that it was ever inscribed.
While visiting the gallery, we had an interesting encounter with another fan of Thomson’s work, a woman visiting all the way from California. She was very interested in Thomson’s life and death and was on a special birthday trip to visit historic Thomson locations. The week before, she had gone with a guide to visit Mowat Cemetery, by canoe. During our conversations, the question of where we thought his final resting place was came up. She seemed relieved when I said I agreed with her and believed he still rests in Mowat Cemetery.
Yes, I think there is strong evidence that he still lies in Mowat. Funny enough, before really knowing Thomson’s full story, when my mother and I left Mowat Cemetery last year, she said that she felt like he was still there. Regardless of our feelings, we still wanted to visit his second grave in Leith, Ontario.
Leith is a small hamlet, about 13 minutes from Owen Sound. In this beautiful part of Grey County, you can find gorgeous views of Georgian Bay, the Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery, and the historic Leith United Church and graveyard. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to stop into Coffin Ridge, but there is always next time.
Leith United Church, located on Tom Thomson Lane, was built in 1865, and is considered “one of the finest examples of pre-Confederation architecture in Ontario’s Sydenham Township”.4 The church was closed in 1969, but since 1992, the Friends of Leith Church continue to preserve and restore the building by holding fundraisers and special events, like concerts.4
We had a beautiful day for a graveyard stroll, the day we visited the churchyard. It wasn’t hard to find the Thomson family plot at all. There are historical plaques and signs to direct you right to it. The graveyard itself is a decent size, but not big enough to get lost in. We could see right away that Thomson was still very popular as there were many grave goods left at his graveside, including a cup filled with paintbrushes, and a lovely rock painting of Thomson. The base of his gravestone is filled with stones, coins, and other items left by those who have come to pay their respects.
According to the gravestone, Thomson’s third youngest brother, James Brodie Thomson, who sadly passed away very young, in 1883 also lies here. Along with his maternal grandfather Kenneth Mathison, a member of the Free Masons who passed away in 1879 at the age of 72. Thomson’s oldest brother George Thomson also is laid to rest in the Leith United Church graveyard, with his wife.
I was curious as to where Thomson’s parents are buried. After some searching on Find A Grave, I found that they are both laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound. I did visit Greenwood Cemetery on this trip, but didn’t know to search for them. Thomson’s father, John Thomson, is buried with his first wife, Margaret Mathison, and his sister-in-law turned second wife Henrietta Mathison.
I love wandering cemeteries and graveyards, but being able to connect a life and legacy to a name makes it even more rewarding. Viewing original artwork, and photographs that Thomson created, built a connection that deepened the experience of visiting his gravesite and paying our respects. And making these connections all started in a cemetery! I loved learning new aspects of Canadian history and how this trip brought us to places we had never visited before. Owen Sound is a beautiful little city and I look forward to having the chance to visit again. I had so much fun on this trip and look forward to where cemeteries will bring me next.
The August heat is starting to wane, as the cooler Autumn weather is starting to take over here in Northern Ontario. In an attempt to hold onto the last Summer has to offer, I thought it might be a good time to make another gravestone recipe. This month, I am trying out Marian’s Heavenly Daze Ice Cream.
That’s right, an ice cream recipe that can be found on a gravestone!
This recipe can be found on the gravestone of Marian Woodward Sheaffer Montfort. Marian passed away at the age of 86, in Portland, Maine. According to her obituary, she was a dedicated wife and mother who also enjoyed sewing and knitting. She was also very independent, living at home until the end, enjoying the company of her cats and the wildlife in her yard. By that description, she reminds me a little of my own mother.
Marian is laid to rest in Robertson Cemetery in Weld, Maine, beside her husband Robert Montfort, who passed away in 1991. Sadly, her daughter Amethyst also rests in Robertson Cemetery, having also passed away in 1991. I couldn’t find more information about Robert and Amethyst, but I was grateful to see they were laid to rest in the same cemetery.
Marian’s gravestone also boldly states “I Loved To Cook”. So what better way to remember her, than by making and enjoying her ice cream recipe!
Grave of Marian S. Montfort. Photo by Find a Grave contributor Catonlocke123. Photo used with permission.
The recipe reads:
Heavenly Daze Ice Cream
1 cup Apricot Preserves
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Dried Apricots in tiny pieces
3 cups Cream
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
Stir preserves, apricots, and sugar on low heat so preserves melt and sugar dissolves.
Cool and mix in cream. Chill. Add vanilla and nutmeg. Stir during freezing.
This recipe was easy to make but ended up taking way more time than I thought it would. It’s been a while since I made an ice cream recipe, but I made sure to make some room in my freezer and put my ice cream machine bowl in there to freeze for a couple of days before attempting this recipe. For the ingredients, I used apricot jam instead of preserves because I couldn’t find any. I think the jam probably has some extra sugar in it, so I was a little worried that it would be too sweet, but I took the chance.
I melted the jam, sugar, and apricot pieces on low heat, but I wasn’t sure how long it would need. I kept an eye on it to make sure it didn’t burn and kept stirring it until the sugar looked like it was melted and incorporated into the jam.
Like with most gravestone recipes, I did have to look up some best practices for cooking and cooling times. Luckily, I have an ice cream recipe book. So I did refer to that to see how long I should be cooling it. I followed the book’s instructions, and put the saucepan in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool. After that, I incorporated the cream and put it back in the fridge for 3 hours to chill. It was about 9 p.m. when my timer went off to take it out of the fridge. I was too tired to start up the ice cream machine at that point, so I left the saucepan in the fridge overnight to chill more.
The next day, on my lunch break, I mixed in the vanilla and nutmeg and started up the ice cream maker. I forgot how loud that thing is! I let it run for 30 minutes and checked on it now and then. I love seeing the consistency get thicker over time. I also had to sneak a taste. The nutmeg really makes this recipe!
After enjoying a little bowl for dessert, I removed the machine bowl and placed it back in the freezer. I recommend letting it sit over night so the flavours can really combine and the extra time in the freezer also brings out that ice cream texture we all love.
This was such an easy recipe to make, made even easier by the use of an ice cream maker. The flavours of the apricot and nutmeg work so well together. I think I like apricot a little more because of this recipe. As for my use of jam vs. preserves, I don’t think it made much of a difference. My ice cream didn’t turn out nearly as sweet as I thought it would because of it.
I would love to learn more about how this recipe came to be on Marian’s grave. Was this her favourite ice cream? Did she make it often? In any case, I think it’s so sweet (pun intended) that this recipe lives on along with her memory.
Do you have a favorite gravestone recipe? What family recipe would you put on your gravestone? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.
It’s been a week since I have been back from vacation, and I am just now starting to feel settled back into my regular routine. It was great to take a break from work life and focus on relaxing and enjoying time with family.
Although my vacation did get off to a rough start.
At the beginning of July, while visiting cemeteries in Cobalt, I picked up a bad case of poison ivy, except I didn’t realize it was poison ivy till about two weeks later. It spread quite a bit before I realized what it was. I was given some medication and spent most of July housebound, to try and heal up as fast as possible.
This is a good reminder to always dress appropriately when exploring overgrown cemeteries!
On top of that, a week before we were set to fly to Montreal, I also caught COVID-19. And because bad things usually happen in threes, the airline canceled our flight the night before our Monday departure and rescheduled it to a later flight on Tuesday. This change completely kiboshed our plans as we had appointments in Montreal booked for early Tuesday. We scrambled to try and make the trip work, regardless of all the challenges thrown at us, but alas it just didn’t work out. We had to cancel our whole trip. It was a huge bummer and left both my fiancé and I feeling defeated.
If we had made it to Montreal, I wouldn’t have had a chance to visit Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery after all. The labor strike is over, but due to the need for maintenance and cleanup, the cemetery is not open yet. As of this writing, their website states that site cleaning is only at 45% completion. I suspect that they will be opening in September sometime.
So the first week of my vacation was a bust.
I was able to enjoy the last week of my vacation, after finally testing negative for COVID. I enjoyed some beach days with my fiancé and a three-day trip with my mother.
That being said, I have some great cemetery road trips and stone stories to share with you! Keep an eye out for some upcoming posts about visiting the second resting place of Tom Thomson, and seeing his artwork in person. We also made a stop to visit the grave of Billy Bishop, Canada’s own World War I flying Ace. We also had a chance to visit his childhood home which has been preserved as a historic house.
Despite the medical setbacks, my summer vacation was still enjoyable, with lots of cemetery visits completed. The summer isn’t quite over, but I am starting to look forward to spending more time in cemeteries in the fall. I am also already starting to plan some fun spooky season content for the blog. There are only 79 days till Halloween after all!
I hope you have had a great summer so far too, and have been able to take some time to do the things that you enjoy. I would love to read about what you have been up to on your summer vacation in the comments!
For the next two weeks I will be taking some time to step away from my computer and work life to enjoy the waning summer weather. I am hoping to disconnect, step out of routine, and explore with friends and family.
I plan on visiting quite few cemeteries while I am away, like Canadas largest cemetery in Montreal. I also plan to pay my respects at the second resting place of Tom Thomson. So keep an eye out for some upcoming blog posts about those adventures.
That being said, I will not be monitoring my social media channels while I am away, and I will reply to all questions and comments on my return. Regularly scheduled social posts will continue to go up as normal, except for my weekly blog posts.
I hope everyone takes some time for themselves this summer to relax and recharge!
When people ask me why I love cemeteries so much, I often say it’s because they are great places to learn about art and history. Today on the blog I wanted to share a recent cemetery visit that is a perfect example of this.
On the Canada Day long weekend, some friends and I took advantage of the nice weather to explore some areas in the Temisikaming District. We toured around Temagami, and up to Kirkland Lake. We visited 18 cemeteries that day, (New Record!) and found some really interesting things along the way. A day or two before we left for our cemetery road trip, one of my friends learned about an interesting gravestone in a cemetery in Earlton.
We made it a priority to find it.
In one of my friend’s work offices, they have a bronze sculpture created by a famous Canadian sculptor. When describing the artist’s work, it was mentioned that one of her sculptures sits atop a gravestone, in Earlton, Ontario. I’ve always thought of cemeteries as open-air art galleries, and this gravestone proves that point.
That famous French Canadian sculptor is Rose-Aimée Bélanger. She was born in 1923 in Guérin Quebec,1but lived most of her life in the small township of Armstrong, near New Liskeard.2 In 1945, she began her studies at l’École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal but paused her studies to marry and raise nine children. It wasn’t until thirty years later, that she would return to her love of sculpture.1
Her work, in clay and bronze, mainly depicts women frozen in everyday moments. Her work is informed by her own life experiences, and inspired by her community.1Arguably her most famous, and most photographed work is Les Chuchoteuses (The Gossipers), which can be found in Montreal, Quebec.3
Another of her bronze sculptures can be found on top of the grave of her son Charles Bélanger, in St. Jean Baptiste Cemetery. Charles rests beside his father, Laurent Bélanger, and the future resting place of his mother. One of nine children, Charles passed away of pneumonia in 1951 in Timmins, Ontario.
Shortly after we visited Charles’s resting place, my friend had the chance to meet Pierre Bélanger, Charles’ brother. He shared that young Charles was eventually moved to the Bélanger family plot in Earlton from Timmins when his mother, Rose, felt she was ready.
The final resting place of the Bélangers can be found in St. Jean Baptiste Cemetery, in the small town of Earlton Ontario. The cemetery is a fairly small one, although Find a Grave does list 797 memorials for this cemetery.4 I had some trouble trying to locate this cemetery on a map, but after reaching out to a fellow taphophile on Find a Grave, I had the address and coordinates and we were able to find the cemetery easily.
The epitaph, written in French, reads: “In loving memory of / Charles / son of / Laurent and / Rose-Aimée Bélanger / died February 17, 1951 / at the age of 1 year 8 months.”
It didn’t take us long to find this beautiful sculpture, as it does stand out a little bit among the gravestones. Possibly bronze in color at one time, the sculpture now has a dark patina. The sculpture depicts a small cherub of a child sitting on top of a granite square. He holds out his hand where a small bird has perched. He looks down wistfully at the little bird in his small hand. He is dressed in what might be a little linen jumper and has two small angel wings protruding from his back.
You can tell right away, this sweet tribute was made with love. From the angel wings to the soft look of the face, the attention to detail is impressive. I love the little dimples on the hand. It is a poignant symbol of a mother’s love, expressed in the most natural medium for her. It must have been a cathartic experience creating this piece.
My friends and I paid our respects to Charles and Laurent, lingering to admire Roses’ beautiful work. We were very happy that we were able to visit. I have always said that cemeteries are the perfect place to go for a walk, enjoy nature and look at beautiful art. And in this case, explore some Canadian art history.
Rose-Aimée Bélanger celebrated her 100th birthday this year, on July 4th. In celebration, she also unveiled a new sculpture. Titled Appeasement, her new work can be found at the Canada House Gallery in Banff, Alberta.3 She has many art pieces in collections all over the world1, but you can see some of her beautiful artwork while paying your respects at the cemetery.
Today’s cemetery-related book review is another AGS Bookclub pick; The Rural Cemetery Movement: Places of Paradox in Nineteenth-Century America by Jeffery Smith. I found this one very fascinating and wanted to share my thoughts.
I was looking forward to reading this one. I am very interested in the different types of cemeteries and graveyards that exist. I haven’t had the chance to visit many rural cemeteries, also sometimes called garden cemeteries. I have visited only a handful of them, but I look forward to visiting more after having read this.
The Rural Cemetery Movement was published in 2017 and is available in three different formats; hardcover, softcover, and a kindle edition. I was able to find a paperback edition on Amazon.ca. It’s filled with lovely black-and-white photos as well as some detailed cemetery maps.
Here is a snippet of the book synopsis from Goodreads.com: “The Rural Cemetery Movement: Places of Paradox in Nineteenth-Century America breaks new ground in the history of cemeteries in the nineteenth century. This book examines these “rural” cemeteries modeled after Mount Auburn that were founded between the 1830s and 1850s. As such, it provides a new way of thinking about these spaces and a new paradigm for seeing and visiting them. While they fulfilled the sacred function of burial, they were first and foremost businesses. The landscape and design, regulation of gravestones, appearance, and rhetoric furthered their role as a business that provided necessary services in cities that went well beyond merely burying bodies. They provided urban green spaces and respites from urban life, established institutions where people could craft their roles in collective memory, and served as prototypes for both urban planning and city parks.”
The Rural Cemetery Movement: Places of Paradox in Nineteenth-Century America by Jeffery Smith
This fascinating book is incredibly well-researched and takes an in-depth look into the rise of the rural cemetery movement. It details the gradual shift and impacts it had on urban planning and ultimately the business of cemeteries. Essentially this is a book of essays that look at different aspects of the rural cemetery and its effects on burial and cemeteries worldwide. It’s full of fascinating history about the creation and layout of garden cemeteries and the effect they had on other landscapes, such as what we know today as public parks. I found it also fascinating to read about the effort that went into creating the look of rural cemeteries and how the rules and regulations evolved to maintain that look. There is also an interesting section on cemetery tours and how some were created as marketing tools before a cemetery was even opened!
I found the content so interesting that I devoured this one pretty quickly. It’s well-researched and written at a high level but still very graspable which made it an excellent read. I found the added photographs and maps a nice touch as well. There are also extensive notes and a bibliography if you are interested in further reading.
I extremely enjoyed this book. It’s a great resource for those looking for information specifically about garden cemeteries. This would also be a good read for those interested in learning more about different styles of cemeteries, or anyone interested in a behind-the-scenes look at how cemeteries operate and the business of cemeteries.
There are not many garden cemeteries in my local area, but I know I will be thinking about this book the next time I do visit one. Have you read The Rural Cemetery Movement? If not, will you be adding it to your reading list? Do you have a favorite garden cemetery? 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 yours 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.
Writing these weekly blog posts, I often feel like a travel writer. Cemetery tourism is one of my favorite things! For this week’s blog post I wanted to share another cemetery road trip destination—The Screaming Heads.
At the beginning of June, I went on another Birthday weekend road trip. This trip was a mix of cemetery visits, museums, and attractions. We visited 15 cemeteries, played a game of Cemetery Bingo, and visited the Wiseman’s Corner Schoolhouse Heritage Centre, which happened to have a gravestone on its grounds.
The main attraction of this trip, and the whole reason we visited Burk’s Falls, was to finally visit and experience The Screaming Heads, in Midlothian. We had talked about visiting for about the last 2 years but never managed to make our way there. So this year we made a special birthday trip to visit this unique resting place. You never know where you might find a cemetery.
The Screaming Heads is an ever-growing art installation created by Peter Camani, a Canadian artist, sculptor, and retired art teacher. This public open-air art gallery dots the landscape of his 310-acre property.1 Living among his artwork, Peter lives in the Midlothian Castle, which was built upon a 19th-century derelict farmhouse.
There is a giant spider web gate made of stone and rebar that surrounds the castle. If the gate is open, you may get a chance to look inside and visit the artist’s studio and living space. Everywhere you look there are interesting details to admire, from the metallic dragon that breathes smoke when the fireplace is lit, to a giant head that houses a studio space within it, to the rows of smaller screaming heads that line the top wall of the gate.
Located on Midlothian Road, near the small town of Burks’s Falls, The Screaming Heads is an off-the-beaten-path roadside attraction. You know you are getting close if you start spotting smaller screaming heads; like at the Burk’s Falls visitor center and the Wiseman’s Corner Schoolhouse Heritage Centre. Peter opens his property to tourists year-round, from dawn till dusk. You’ll find much more at this attraction than just amazing artwork. The property is also home to about 300 species of birds, including peacocks. Their eerie calls can be heard all around you as you hike through the open fields and bush. There is a small gift shop that has some neat Screaming Heads merch, and on weekends you might also find a small farmers market.
The main attraction is of course The Screaming Heads. The artist has described these 20-foot-tall concrete sculptures as a warning against environmental degradation, “the earth rebelling against what we’re doing to the land.”2 Peter has transformed this once barren farmland, by planting many of the trees on his property and propagating spring-fed ponds. His large concrete structures are arranged in such a way that they form the shape of a dragon when viewed from the air, although today the trees are so large they obscure some of the statues.2
Along with being a unique roadside attraction, The Screaming Heads can also be considered a cemetery. A small grouping of Screaming Heads stand out among the other round Edvard Munch-like sculptures. These tall narrow creations have cremated remains mixed into the concrete. On his website, which now seems to be defunct, the artist had a creative suggestion for where your final resting place could be when you pass away; “Why settle for a small underground plot in the suburbs, when you have the option of joining a vibrant creation that fills the landscape?”3 At one time, If you wanted to be memorialized in this open-air art gallery, you would need $10,000 to reserve your spot.3 Since the website is now gone, I am uncertain if this option still exists.
At the time of our visit, there were 4 human ash sculptures, with memorial plaques for 5 people.
Everyone’s experience with the Screaming Heads will be different, as there is no set way to explore the grounds. There is no trail map, and there are a few trailheads to choose from. When we visited, on an exceptionally warm day, we managed to come upon the memorial sculptures first. The photos don’t do them justice, as they are larger than life! We asked ourselves many times as we wandered the grounds, about the process of making these immense sculptures and what that might look like.
There is something magical about this place. As you walk among these enormous, whimsical sculptures, it’s easy to feel like you are in a magical forest, where strange creatures may reveal themselves at any moment. I was filled with a sense of wonder as we walked through the woods and fields, discovering hidden sculptures as we got closer to them. The eerie sound of the peacocks also added to the experience. Their cries always seemed to surround us, and just when we thought we were close enough to see one, we would hear their scream from another direction.
I can understand why someone would want their final resting place to be in such a magical place. The idea of becoming art, becoming part of something larger than yourself, to instill a sense of awe in others; that guarantees you will always be remembered.
Do you want to plan your own trip to visit The Screaming Heads? They are located in Midlothian, Ontario, close to the small town of Burk’s Falls. The grounds are open year-round, from dawn till dusk, and admission is by donation. Make sure to bring your camera, your water bottle, and LOTS of bug spray. Have you already visited? I would love to hear about your experience in the comments.
Last weekend, some friends and I went on a cemetery road trip in the Burks Falls area. I was really surprised at the amount of white bronze markers that we found. Almost every cemetery we visited had 1 or more zinkys. I had never come across that many before. They are not a common sight in my local Sudbury cemeteries.
So for today’s blog post, I thought I would share a collection of white bronze markers.
In January 2022, I wrote a post that looked more into the history of these unique gravestones. Zinkys as they are lovingly referred to, are also known as white bronze. You can recognize these types of headstones by their bluish-grey color, and if you give them a gentle tap, it should produce a hollow metallic sound.
These types of gravestones never came back into fashion after World War I, but because of their durability, you can still find them in great condition.
Although these markers are very durable, they do sometimes get damaged. According to Understanding Cemetery Symbols by Tui Snider, in the United States during the prohibition era, it was claimed that bootleggers would pry the panels off of these monuments to hide their contraband booze. I am curious if this was also a practice in Canada, as I have found some markers with their panels pried off.
Have you found some of these unique gravestones in your local cemeteries? Do you have a favorite design? I would love to read about it in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
References:
Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Cemetery Photography by Chantal Larochelle 