Description of Historic Place

The Cascade Cemetery, originally known as the Cascade City Cemetery, is located 2.8 kilometres south-west of Christina Lake, across from the Highway 3--395 Junction below Stewart Creek Road. It is situated approximately 2.2 kilometres west of the former town of Cascade, B.C. The cemetery sits on 4.2 acres of Crown land reserved for cemetery purposes.

Heritage Value

Established in 1897, the cemetery has both historic and cultural values. Named for Cascade City, the cemetery is one of the few remaining heritage assets dating to early Cascade City. Its establishment coincides with the settlement of the community in 1896 and its eventual decline (the last known burial was in 1955). The first burial was of Samuel Swanson in April 1897. Twenty-seven burials have been confirmed through ground-penetrating radar. The identities of 22 of the 27 interred are known.

Many of the burials signify the role that early pioneers played in settling this part of British Columbia. Several of the interred helped construct the Columbia and Western Railway and subsequently died from their efforts. The average age of the males known to be interred in the cemetery (not including infants) is 43, which speaks to the inherent dangers of early pioneering work. By contrast, the average age of the females is 66. Seven of the 22 known burials were infants, which highlights the incidence of infant mortality in that era.

The cemetery also provides information on where the settlers originated from, which speaks to immigration trends in early British Columbia. Death registrations and obituaries dating from the late 1800s in the Cascade Record and the Grand Forks Miner indicate that the cemetery may contain up to 24 burials in addition to the 22 that are confirmed.

The site is culturally important as it provides a living link to several families who still reside in the area. It is also significant for its continued use as a place of reflection and connection.

Character-Defining Elements

The elements that define the character of the historic place include its:

- headstones/grave markers
- fencing
- situation on 4.2 acres
- location 2.2 kilometres from the former Cascade City
- proximity to the Dewdney Trail