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Upper Burial Ground - McBurney (Skeleton) Park

Memorials	:	0
Location	:	Kingston, Frontenac County, Canada
Description	:	* McBurney Park, better known as Skeleton Park, started in 1816 as the Garrison Burying Ground (another source says 1813), then in 1819 it was known as the Common Burying Ground, so named because it was common to the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. In 1825, it was officially established as the Upper Burial Grounds which included three parts – one each for the Anglicans, the Roman Catholics and the Presbyterians. The cemetery was Kingston's primary burial ground until about 1850 (other sources say 1853), when Cataraqui Cemetery was established. It was used as a burial ground for the Catholic, Anglican and... Read More	* McBurney Park, better known as Skeleton Park, started in 1816 as the Garrison Burying Ground (another source says 1813), then in 1819 it was known as the Common Burying Ground, so named because it was common to the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. In 1825, it was officially established as the Upper Burial Grounds which included three parts – one each for the Anglicans, the Roman Catholics and the Presbyterians. The cemetery was Kingston's primary burial ground until about 1850 (other sources say 1853), when Cataraqui Cemetery was established. It was used as a burial ground for the Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian Churches until 1864, when it was closed after reaching capacity. In March 1865, a bylaw passed by City Council came into effect, preventing any further burials taking place. After the closure, there was no maintenance on the site and the area fell into disrepair and was repeatedly vandalized, as well as there being rumors of grave-robbing. In the late 1880s, a growing residential area surrounding the old cemetery pressured the city to take action. The Catholic, Presbyterian, and Anglican churches proposed that the bodies be exhumed and re-interred in St. Mary's and Cataraqui Cemeteries, and the area be converted to a city park. While some bodies were in fact re-interred elsewhere, for various reasons it was decided not to try to move all of them. Out of an estimated 10,000 burials, (4,000 Catholics, 4,000 Anglicans, and 2,000 Presbyterians) less than 1,000 bodies were removed. On May 27, 1893 the land was officially granted to the city by an act of the Province of Ontario. On February 6, 1894, Kingston's Upper Cemetery was officially named Frontenac Park. In 1965, the Committee on Parks and Property recommended that the park be renamed McBurney Park. In 2002, a seven foot high granite Celtic Cross Monument was erected and dedicated to the memory of all those buried in Kingston's Upper Cemetery. In 2004, archaeological investigations located the former cemetery boundaries as being larger than the current Park boundary and, consequently, identified a number of burials under Alma Street. In 2007, Alma Street was converted into a one-lane road to accommodate the remains beneath it. Additional names for this cemetery may include: Kingston's Upper Cemetery, Upper Burial Cemetery, Upper Grave Yard, Old Burial Ground, Soldier's Cemetery, and Redden Park.

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Upper Burial Ground - McBurney (Skeleton) Park is located at Kingston, Frontenac County, Canada.
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Nearby Cemetories:

1. Arden United Church Cemetery
Arden, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7334200, -76.9827300

2. Ardoch United Church Cemetery
Ardoch, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.5155800, -76.5999800

3. Saint John Anglican Cemetery
Ardoch, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.5989500, -76.7867670

4. St. Kilians Roman Catholic Cemetery
Ardoch, Frontenac County, Canada

5. Sandhill Cemetery
Battersea, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.1891900, -76.3854100

6. Van Luven Cemetery
Battersea, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.5442200, -76.6713800

7. Green Bay Heritage Cemetery
Bedford, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7930280, -77.0966390

8. Sacred Heart of Jesus Cemetery
Bedford, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7899500, -77.1087230

9. Thompson Burial Ground
Bedford, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.4023000, -76.6794000

10. Bordenwood Cemetery
Bordenwood, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7962090, -76.9821990

11. Brewers Mills Cemetery
Brewers Mills, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7777650, -76.9921880

12. Saint Barnaby's Cemetery
Brewers Mills, Frontenac County, Canada

13. Parks Farm Burial Ground
Central Frontenac, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7334200, -76.9827300

14. Desert Lake Cemetery
Desert Lake, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.5155800, -76.5999800

15. Echo Lake Cemetery
Echo, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.5989500, -76.7867670

16. Elm Tree Cemetery
Elm Tree, Frontenac County, Canada

17. Eves Family Plot
Frontenac Islands, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.1891900, -76.3854100

18. Campsall Bethal Cemetery
Godfrey, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.5442200, -76.6713800

19. Harlowe United Church Cemetery
Harlowe, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7930280, -77.0966390

20. St. Mark's Anglican Church Cenmetery
Harlowe, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7899500, -77.1087230

21. Harrowsmith Cemetery
Harrowsmith, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.4023000, -76.6794000

22. Henderson Pioneer Cemetery
Henderson, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7962090, -76.9821990

23. Henderson United Church Cemetery
Henderson, Frontenac County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.7777650, -76.9921880

24. Hamilton Burying Ground
Hinchinbrooke, Frontenac County, Canada

Upper Burial Ground - McBurney (Skeleton) Park

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