In honor of the Spooky season, I wanted to do a sort of spooky show-and-tell. For today’s blog post, I want to talk about some of the creepier grave goods I have come across while exploring and photographing cemeteries.
Grave goods is a term used for items left behind at a grave. I have always found it fascinating what people leave behind. There are a variety of reasons someone might leave grave goods; to pay their respects, to honor their loved one, this list goes on.
The most common grave goods I see in my cemetery travels are flowers, but I have also found coins, toys, figurines, and pieces of clothing such as hats or gloves. I have even found alcohol and cigarettes left on gravestones.
But there have been a couple of times where I have found some pretty creepy things. I would say maybe even sinister grave goods.
A Horse Skull
One of the first creepy grave goods I ever came across was a skull hanging from a tree. I believe this is a horse skull, although I don’t know for certain. A horse skull would make sense for the area where it was found, in Verner Public Cemetery. Verner is a rural area, dotted with farmland.
How the skull ended up in the tree is another question entirely. I remember it was hanging on a tree at the edge of the tree line. Was it found in the forested area? Was it brought from an adjoining farm?
I never expected to come across a creepy doll, the day I entered Blezard Valley Cemetery. It was in late May, that I discovered this one.
A creepy plastic doll, the kind where the eyes close when you tilt it backward. Except this one has a push pin pushed into its plastic eyeball. It was also painted black. I found it leaning up against the backside of a granite gravestone.
How it ended up there, I can’t even speculate. Was it bored teenagers? Or was it left behind with more sinister intentions? I took many photos but left the doll where I found it.
I think this is one of my favorite spooky finds! Technically my mom found it. We had gone off on our own, in separate directions, meandering among the gravestones. She called me over when she spotted this unique grave good.
Laying above a small flat stone marker was this hand-made ouija board. It was painted by hand onto a small canvas. I wasn’t able to locate what had been used as a planchette. My guess is they used a glass or cup of some sort, and made sure to return it to where it came from.
From the looks of it, this hand-made board had been sitting outside for some time. Being an avid Ouija board collector myself, I enjoyed finding this one. But of course, I left it where it was found.
I have written in the past about the cemetery etiquette I follow when visiting cemeteries. I do sometimes clear away debris to get a clearer picture or stand-up fallen grave goods that have been knocked over. But, I would never remove anything from a gravestone, or cemetery for that matter.
Did you enjoy my round-up of the top three spookiest grave goods I have found in a cemetery? It’s one of my favorite things about cemeteries, you never know what you might find!
Have you ever found anything strange left behind in a cemetery? I would love to read about it in the comments.
In early July, my friends and I went on a cemetery road trip, up through Hailybury and New Liskeard to Kirkland Lake. We made quite a few stops along the way, not only at cemeteries. We stopped at a couple of roadside attractions to stretch our legs and take in the sights.
We did have a few points of interest that we were determined to visit that day. One was the grave of Charles Bélanger, son of famous Canadian sculptor Rose-Aimée Bélanger. You may remember that story, as I wrote about our visit in a blog post called Stone Stories: Art in a Cemetery.
The other point of interest, high on our list to see was a gravestone with an epitaph about U.F.O.s.
One of my favorite things about visiting cemeteries is finding unique gravestones. I love gravestones that stand out, that showcase a sense of humor, or something specific about their life story. I love stones that give you a glimpse of who the person was. Sometimes these peculiar gravestones also present a mystery!
This is the gravestone of Glenn Bradley, who passed away on December 27, 2007. A day before what would have been his 89th birthday. From far away, his gravestone doesn’t seem to stand out. It’s a classic style headstone, in grey granite. But upon closer inspection, the epitaph jumps out at you.
It reads: “Bradley / Glenn E. Bradley / Dec. 28, 1918 — Dec. 27, 2007 / Loving Father of / Linda Sue and Terri Lynn / Beloved Grandfather of / Michelle, Curtis, Anthony, Pamela / U.F.O. Are Real Spacecraft.”
The epitaph continues on the backside of the stone: “Spinning Objects Vanquish Gravity / Spinning Objects Levitate / Spin to Exceed the Earths / Relative Feet Per Second / Honorable 60th C.B. Service / 1942 U.S. Navy 1945”
What does it mean?
I am not the only one fascinated with this gravestone. Bill Steer, also known as Back Roads Bill, wrote an interesting article about this peculiar stone. In it, he shares an interesting tidbit found in Bradley’s obituary. It reads: “He will be remembered for his scientific work such as antigravity and his belief in UFOs.”1
Bradley’s gravestone tells us that he was a veteran of World War II with the U.S. Navy, having served from 1942 to 1945. Is that where he worked on antigravity? Had he seen a U.F.O.?
Recently, NASA revealed a report on UFO sightings, confirming that they are actively monitoring and collecting evidence. In the report, they state that unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) are not definitively connected to alien life, but what they are remains uncertain.2You can read the 33-page report here.
It was on a particularly hot day, that we chose to visit the cemetery. It was the final cemetery on our list, having stopped at many cemeteries along the way. This meant that we were fairly tired when we arrived at the Kirkland Lake Cemetery, also known as Swastika Cemetery.
Kirkland Lake Cemetery is actually located in Swastika, Ontario, a former mining and railroad town. It sits within the Kirkland Lake municipal boundaries.3Swastika was originally a railway station along the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway in the early 1900s. The town grew into a small mining community in 1907. It became known for its abundance of gold, which led the company, and officially the town itself, to name themselves after the Sanskrit symbol for “good luck” in 1908.4
I don’t think we were prepared for how large this cemetery is! I was a little disheartened when we arrived, thinking we may not be able to find the fabled UFO stone. Find a Grave lists 7,871 memorials for this cemetery, and it’s marked as only 83% photographed. It’s quite large!
After a brief distraction of falling into my regular photographer’s routine of stopping at gravestones that caught my eye, I remembered our objective. I regrouped with my companions and checked out Google one more time to point us in the right direction. In the end, we used some online photos to help us triangulate the stone’s location by matching up unique stones and markers in the background of the photos.
As mentioned previously, the stone from a distance is fairly nondescript. At the top of the gravestone, there is a coin embedded into it, with the dates 1937 — 1970. The coin reads: “E.W. Bliss Company / Bliss since 1857 / From Ingot to Finished Product”. According to the Military Wiki page, E.W. Bliss was an American company based in Brooklyn, New York. Among other things, they produced a line of special sheet metal work presses, power stamping machines, car parts, torpedoes, shrapnel, and armor-piercing projectiles.5
We spent time circling Bradley’s gravestone, pondering his curious epitaph. Without more background information, and as a layperson it did make me scratch my head in curiosity.
Maybe one day, answers will come forth as to what Bradley was talking about with his cryptically scientific epitaph. For now, it makes for a curious extraterrestrial mystery!
Have you ever seen a U.F.O. mentioned on a gravestone before? What do you think? Do you want to believe?
I am still on the hunt for Canadian gravestone recipes. The majority of the ones I have learned about are in the United States. Hopefully one day, I will have a Canadian recipe to share with you. Until then I will keep trying out the gravestone recipes I learn about online.
For this month’s gravestone recipe, I wanted to try out Dr. Death’s Ranch!
This is the first savory gravestone recipe I have tried, and it looks like it will be an easy one to make. I first learned about this recipe through Rosie Grant, who you may know as Ghostly Archive on TikTok. This gravestone belongs to Marty Lee Woolf, who passed away suddenly on August 21, 2022.1
According to Woolfs’ obituary, he was a hard-working family man with a good sense of humor. He leaves behind a wife and three children.2I would like to think this recipe was one of his favourites. So much so, that his family chose to inscribe it on his gravestone for others to remember him by. I wasn’t able to find much information about this ranch dressing recipe, so I am very curious; who is Dr. Death? Was this Woolf’s signature dip recipe? Was this his go-to recipe for family gatherings or get-togethers?
What I could find about this stone, is that this gravestone was most likely made in Washington state. The only photo I have been able to find of this gravestone looks to have been taken before the stone was installed at the cemetery, possibly after it had been engraved.
I have recently been able to confirm that Woolf is laid to rest in Saltese Cemetery, in Greenacres Washington. Thank you to a fellow taphophile and reader for sending me a note about this graves location!
Woolf’s Find A Grave memorial also lists a photo of the front of his gravestone. His epitaph reads “The Legend. The Laugh.”
Backside of the gravestone of Marty Lee Woolf. Photo by Rosie Grant (Ghostly Archive on TikTok)
Here is the recipe, as written on the gravestone:
Dr. Death’s Ranch
1 C. Mayonnaise
1/2 C. Buttermilk
1 Tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
1/8 Tsp. Paprika
1/8 Tsp. Garlic Powder
This has to be the easiest gravestone recipe I have made so far. There are only 6 ingredients and there is no baking or cooking involved. My kind of recipe! The hardest part for me was gathering the ingredients. Being in Canada, we sometimes don’t have the same name brands of foodstuffs. I wasn’t able to find any Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix, so I substituted in some Club House Ranch Style Dressing and Dip Mix. I tried to compare the mix ingredients to see if the mix I had found was close, but I wasn’t able to tell since both mixes don’t go into detail on what spices are actually in them. Hopefully, the flavors aren’t too off!
After easily mixing everything by hand with a whisk, until smooth, I let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few minutes to let the flavors combine. While the dressing was resting, I sliced up some cucumbers and red bell pepper to make a little veggie platter. I also threw some cherry tomatoes and baby carrots on there for some variety.
When the veggie platter was ready, it was time to try Dr. Death’s Ranch.
This is a super tasty recipe! I wasn’t sure about the buttermilk as I don’t think I have ever had it before like that, but the bright flavor combination is a winner. I also love how quick & easy it is. I was surprised at the amount of dip this recipe makes too. The addition of the buttermilk helps smooth out the texture and thins it out a little, making it a decent-sized batch.
This would be the perfect thing to bring to a Summer get-together with friends and family, or maybe to some game day festivities. The next time I go to a potluck, I know I will be reaching for this recipe again for super easy veggies and dip platter.
Have you heard about this gravestone recipe before? Are you going to give it a try? Tell me about it in the comments!
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.
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.
Cemetery Photography by Chantal Larochelle 