This unassuming park in Ontario has a haunted history
In the heart of the historical city of Kingston, Ontario lies a place full of mystery and whispers of the past – McBurney Park, infamously known as Skeleton Park.
McBurney Park, established in the 1890s, conceals the secrets of thousands who found their eternal rest within its grounds.
Image of 1890 relocation of the cemetery from Skeleton Park located off Ordnance Street in Kingston. Local lore whispers of grave-robbing by medical students from nearby Queen’s University Medical School. Photo sourced from Queen's University Archives.
Formerly Kingston's primary cemetery, the Upper Burial Ground, now resides beneath the park's surface.
Historical estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 individuals, including many immigrant labourers who likely succumbed to Kingston's typhus, diphtheria, and cholera outbreaks, were interred on the premises before its closure in the mid 1800s due to maximum capacity.
The exhumation of the cemetery within McBurney Park was halted in 1893 when it was discovered that the buried bodies had not fully decomposed, leading to a decision by the community to cease the process. Photo sourced from The Queen's University Journal.
Ontario's Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act forbids digging without archeological testing, hinting at the chilling tales beneath.
Walking through the park today, it's easy to overlook its haunting history. But reminders of the past lurk beneath the surface, with old headstones peeking through the grass and bones occasionally pushing through the ground, unwilling to be forgotten.
Upper Burial Ground in 1893 showcasing the Barclay monument which still stands today, predating the establishment of McBurney Park. Unfortunately, no records of the burials in this historic site have survived. Image sourced from Queen’s University Archives.
Visible relics of the cemetery include an obelisk honouring a Presbyterian minister and a solemn plaque, serving as eerie reminders of the park's macabre past.
Many of those buried within the park remain nameless, their identities lost to time. Their restless spirits wander beneath the tranquil façade, whispering tales of a bygone era to those who dare to listen.
So, the next time you find yourself in Kingston, Ontario, take some time to wander through McBurney Park and listen closely for whispers of the past from beyond the grave.
For in the shadows of the trees and beneath the grassy knolls lies the chilling truth of Kingston's haunted history, waiting to be unearthed by those brave enough to delve into the depths of Skeleton Park.
Erin Horrocks-Pope.
