The following is a transcription of Ootischenia Cemetery located in Ootischenia, British Columbia. Land location: Lot 70, District Lot 4598, Kootenay District Plan 4882. Latitude: 49°16.647. Longitude: 117°38.369. Transcribed by Lawrna and Margaret Myers in May 2005. Updated on August 26, 2007.
View of the cemetery from the north-west corner facing south-east.
Historical Background
The original cemetery on the south end, known as Waterloo Graveyard, was established in 1889 to serve the Waterloo mining camp until its demise in 1902. In 1908, it was incorporated into Ootischenia Cemetery, which was established by the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood ("CCUB") to serve the Ootischenia settlement area. After the demise of the CCUB in 1937-1939, Ootischenia Cemetery continued to be used by its successor organization, the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ ("USCC"). It is still in active use today. It is owned and maintained by the USCC Cemetery Association.
Layout
The cemetery is approximately five acres in size and is enclosed by a wire fence on its north, east and south parameter. On its west parameter, it is bounded by the Columbia River. The cemetery contains approximately 853 interments in a single section comprised of eighteen rows facing east-west. The vast majority of the graves (600) have no marker and many of the mounds have been leveled. I have used death registrations and oral tradition to identify twenty-two of these. The remaining unmarked graves are unidentified. With respect to graves with markers, the markers are typically plain slate, marble or concrete upright headstones or flat markers set flush to the ground. Click here for an online cemetery map.
Driving Directions
To access the cemetery, travel south from Castlegar on Highway No. 3 towards Salmo. Turn right at Columbia Road and continue for approximately .5 km (.3 mile). Turn right at Waterloo Road and continue for approximately 3 km (1.9 mile). At the bottom of the hill, turn left at the junction and continue for approximately .5 km (.3 mile). The cemetery is on the right side of the road. The cemetery is on private property and permission to access should be obtained by the owners.
Surname Index
Ootischenia cemetery sign.
View of the cemetery from the north-east facing south-west. Note many burials are marked with fieldstone
Notes
Various sources of data have been used in compiling this information including: marker transcriptions, death registrations and oral tradition. This is a work in progress. If readers have any comments, corrections or additions with respect to Ootischenia Cemetery, please contact: Lawrna S. Myers.
