In 1856, the town of St. Catharines established The St. Catharines Cemetery, located just east of downtown near the Welland Canal. In the early 1900's the cemetery was renamed Victoria Lawn in commemoration for Queen Victoria of England. There are approximately 78,000 people interred at the cemetery, along with multiple gardens, mausoleums and stunning architectural pieces. The Carillon Tower is a centerpiece to the extension of the cemetery (located across the street from the main gate). The tower plays music on the hour, and throughout the Christmas season you can hear classic Christmas carols chiming from the electronic bell system.

Visitors can experience a self-guided walking tour that takes them throughout the cemetery passed such important names in Niagara history as:

- Dr. Theophilus Mack: Physician, founder of Springbank Hotel, General and Marine Hospital on Cherry Street and a training school for nurses.

- William Hamilton Merritt: Captain of Dragoons during War of 1812 and taken prisoner at battle of Lundy's Lane. Began building the Welland Canal after his release.

- Rev. Anthony Burns: Escaped a plantation in Virgina, captured in Boston in 1854 and eventually gained freedom in Canada.

- Dr. Gwendolyn Mulock: First practicing female doctor in St. Catharines.Served as medical consultant for Toronto Children's Aid Society and director of women's health at University of Toronto.

and some interesting looking plots:

- Shickluna Lot

- Thomas Burns

- Woodruff

- Minnie Madeline Neelon

- Hon. James Rae Benson

All photos in gallery by: Jessica Sutton

Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m

From Toronto:

-Gardiner Expressway W
-Continue onto QEW
-Merge onto 403 W
-Keep left onto QEW (towards Niagara/East Hamilton/Fort Erie)
-Exit at Regional Road 48/Niagara Street
-Exit towards Regional Road 77/Welland Ave
-Keep left at the fork and merge onto Dunkirk Rd
-Turn right onto Bunting Rd/Regional Road 52
-Turn left onto Queenston St/Regional Road 81
-Main gates will be on right

-Take QEW toward Hamilton/Toronto
-Take exit for Regional Road 89/Glendale Ave

-Exit towards Niagara-on-the-Lake

- Take first left onto York Rd/Regional Road 81 (signs for Virgil/NOTL)

-York Rd turns into Queenston St.

-Main gates will be on left

The City of St. Catharines, Recreation and Community Services Department

- Self-guided walking tour
- Parking located at Mausoleums & Main gate

No Admission

432 Queenston St.
St. Catharines, Ontario
L2R 7K6

Tel (905) 682-5311
Email vlc@stcatharines.ca
Website http://www.stcatharines.ca/en/livein/VictoriaLawnCemetery.asp