Beechwood Cemetery

Welcome, esteemed guests and students of history, to Beechwood Cemetery, the officially designated National Cemetery of Canada. As we step through the gates of this magnificent one-hundred-and-sixty-acre sanctuary, we are not…

Let us pause here at one of the older, more evocative monuments within Beechwood. This intricately carved stone belongs to the Ring family. …

We now enter a remarkably different section of the grounds. The atmosphere shifts from the romantic, winding paths of the Victorian era to a landscape of profound symmetry and solemnity. …

Standing sentinel just outside the veterans section is a striking, formidable piece of military hardware: a Sherman Easy-8 tank. The presence of a weapon of war within the peaceful confines of a cemetery may initially seem…

As we transition back into the civilian sectors of the cemetery, we enter an area dense with the monuments of Canada's political and intellectual elite. Because Beechwood was established in the nation's capital, it naturally…

We now step away from the manicured lawns and stone monuments to encounter a completely different facet of Beechwood: the Macoun Marsh. Nestled quietly in the far eastern corner of the grounds, this small, undisturbed urban…

For our final specific stop, let us examine the grave of a woman who brought an entirely new cultural rhythm to the Canadian landscape. Here lies Carmen Jolicoeur. …

As we conclude our rigorous exploration of Beechwood Cemetery, let us take a moment to absorb the profound historical gravity of this environment. In two thousand and nine, following a unanimous vote in the House of Commons,…