Grove Cemetery

Dundas was officially incorporated as a town in 1847 and, with that, required their own local cemetery. Grove Cemetery subsequently opened in 1852. The Dundas Town Council purchased the cemetery’s original ten acres from James Davis Hare for the price of £321. A stone cottage was built between 1854-1855 that was located at the very entrance of the cemetery. This stone cottage, built out of rubble stone, acted as an office for the Superintendent who would conduct any management and maintenance necessary. It remained in use until the last Superintendent left in 1977. The cottage was then rented out to various tenants until November 1985. After owning the cottage for 130 years, the Town of Dundas sold the property to B.A. and Mary Veldhuis in November 1985.

Grove Cemetery was expanded in 1948 when the Mountain View division was created. The Corporation of the Town of Dundas purchased 2.66 acres from Ernest Edward Coomber for the price of $1500.

The stone cottage received historical designation by the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) in 1986. The areas that were designated include the four rubble stone walls, the two stone end chimneys, the front doorway and original window openings and frames, and the iron fencing at the front and side of the cottage. It was reported that this particular stone cottage was considered a more modern stone dwelling at the time of its construction, and provides us with a rare instance of pre-Confederation vernacular architecture.

Thanks to the students of McMaster University Department of History for their assistance with this project.

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    129 York Road, Dundas, ON
    L9H 1L9
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