Historic Ainsworth Cemetery in BC

Today we’ll visit the historic Ainsworth Cemetery in a shady and peaceful setting overlooking Kootenay Lake. There among the trees, a bit up the hill above former mining camp, it’s a perfectly serene location to spend all eternity. We’re in BC’s East Kootenay region, itching to explore and connect with history. Come tag along and we’ll be your guide.

The location here is a bench well above town and this might seem oddly distant. There’s few flat spots around in these hills and no doubt this influenced the decision to place it here. The town is built on a slope right above the lake and there’s barely room for it, let alone anything else. Then add in all the mining going on in the immediate area, and that it’s a bit out-of-the-way makes sense.

While most vehicles can drive all the way to the cemetery, beginning along North Street, but the last kilometre or so is a bit steep and a tad rough in places. It might be easier to park at the “public road ends” sign and hoof it in. We did. It’s a pleasant stroll through the woods, even if all uphill, and for us it helps us to better know our subject. Walk-in history is somehow more interesting.

We chose to walk the final stretch.

Several side roads head off at various points and had we more time, they would have been investigated further. Who knows where they lead, but perhaps it’s to something interesting. There were diggings on the hills all above and coincidentally the very course used to access the Ainsworth Cemetery is said to be part of a mine road.

A sign announces you’re close and soon after the land levels out, it comes into view. There’s a big plaque that shares a little history of the and it’s worth stopping to read. Some interesting stuff here on both the Ainsworth Cemetery and town.

The entire property is bordered by a picket fence and certain plots have their own fencing too. This seems common in older mountain cemeteries. We understand it’s to keep animals out, but certainly aesthetics might be in play. They look nice and in addition they clearly define a plot or group of plots. That’s important to some.

By the numbers there is perhaps ninety three folks buried here, but only seventy listed in records. Many are unknown or partly unknown and the locations of some plotted at least, but not marked. Of these, there’s said to be eighteen in the cemetery and another five in the non-consecrated section. That area was for those who took their own life and read on to know more.

The location of many of these were found recently, by geophysical scanning, but for most who they are is seemingly lost to history. That’s with the odd exception and sometimes a few details are known. Some things, but not a complete record. Case in point for what’s said to be the oldest burial here. It goes back to 1893 and belongs to a miner named Sandon, but where in the property he is does not appear to be said.

Lost graves are common in older cemeteries like this. Physical grave markers are not always present – older ones were often of wood and long since rotted away – and records are sometimes spotty or non-existent.

The oldest burials here that are marked date to 1897 (for Baby John Hawes, 5 months old & Baby Heap, 2 years old) and the most recent from a couple years ago. They cover all decades, although there’s sometimes been long gaps when none happened.

There’s several related folks here and as is all to common in older cemeteries, there’s lots of young ones that passed on way too early. Many kids in the old days didn’t make it far and that’s sad. Others include Georgina, Infant Sheridan, Irvine, little Florence and Baby Sherraden, all gone at birth or soon after.

Then there’s Spencer who passed early in the 1990s at two and who shares the same last name with one of the first person interred here, Baby John. The Hawes names shows up a lot at the Ainsworth Cemetery and it does again further down this post.

All these youngsters left the world quickly and we can’t imagine the heartbreak that comes of this. Parent, siblings, the whole family…it’s something you’d never get over.

Sometimes how it happened is shared: “In loving memory of Sidney Burl Sheridan, drowned May 27th, 1917, age 7 years.” A newspaper account of the day states he fell off a 75 foot cliff into the water and that’s a haunting image.

According to the history marker at the entrance to the cemetery other deaths could be attributed to mining accidents, animal attacks, snow slides and murder. Among others. Mining camps seemed to have higher death rate than other places and it’s just the nature of these places. Dangerous jobs, rough and tumble lifestyles and a wild west attitude are all in play.

There’s some couple military graves at Ainsworth Cemetery and these are always distinctive in form. Every single headstone appears like every other. Two belong to the Hawes family and one reads: “Sgt Hawes of the Algonquin Regiment Peace for a veteran and a hard rock miner” and the other of Robert Louis Hawes “I love my parents but my heart is here.” A licence plate with his initials is placed at his grave and both are marked by poppies left by others.

A homestead was earlier located on this same plot land and the cabin just beyond where the current burials are. More towards the stream, which can be heard but not seen. It’s said the cabin burned down a few years before the establishment of the cemetery but once in a while old bits from the structure can be found. Glass bits and the like.

It’s all uphill but pleasant and shaded.

There’s an historic marker here and goes on to say that this section of cemetery was outside the official (consecrated) boundaries and the burial site for several folks who died by their own hand. “Those who chose to take their own life were excluded from being buried in consecrated ground. In this corner, apart from the rest of the cemetery, five suicides were laid to rest. The last in the year 1917.”

From death comes life here at Ainsworth Cemetery. There’s wild flowers underfoot, young saplings have taken hold, there’s towering trees all around and on a picket fence a Robin’s nest is found.

There’s some nice view points just off to the side of the cemetery and they’re worth a look. Peer out over Kootenay Lake at a break in the trees and be in awe of the beauty of this area. It’s pretty as a postcard and we love that it’s full of history. Can’t imagine it would ever be tiring and we always long to go back.

Know more: (new tab): The Historic Cemetery of Ainsworth BC.

They’re saying…

“Love the stories, love the history and appreciate the effort to document both in words and pictures before it’s all gone…” Kathleen Raines.

Not far away…
JB Fletcher’s Ainsworth BC ~45 Years Apart.

British Columbia is Awesome…
Alexandra Bridge Fraser Canyon BC.
The Giants of Cathedral Grove (BC).
Molly Hughes by the Lake (Ag-Pb-Zn-Au).

Something to say and no one to say it to? Go here: Contact Us!

Date of adventure: May, 2023.
Location: Ainsworth, British Columbia.
Article references and thanks: Dale for hosting us, FindaGrave.com and Columbia/Kootenay Cultural Alliance.

A wealth of information is presented here.

It continues on the back side.

Welcome to Historic Ainsworth Cemetery.

A peaceful setting there among the trees.

Of homesteads and suicides – “Rest in peace in the sacred place.”

Burials started in the 1890s and continue to today.

One of over ninety but not all have markers.

Drowned in 1917 at age 7 and a parent’s heartbreak.

New life…

AA McKinnon 1858-1925.

Watching over all…

Luigi Gri, born in Italy and died in the remote mountains of BC.

Christine Dumas: “She died as she lived, trusting God.”

“I love my parents but my heart is here.”

“Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.”

A wonderful view overlooking Kootenay Lake.