Robin McKee’s Cemetery Tours

Last year, I had the pleasure of attending one of Robin McKee’s guided tours of Hamilton Cemetery (the big one on York Street, across from Dundurn Castle).

I highly recommend these tours for anyone interested in Hamilton’s history. For those not sure what to expect, let me give you my impressions. Robin takes the group around the cemetery, showing the graves of prominent Hamiltonians. At each grave, Robin tells the story of the people, their impact on Hamilton and their connections with other people and places. Robin sees the cemetery as a vast archive of history. The graves act as a starting point for a discussion of the people who have shaped our community. Each tour is themed and explores a different aspect of our heritage.

The tours take place on Saturdays at 11 AM, Rain or Shine. They last approximately 2 hours. Meet at the Hamilton Cemetery Gatehouse (across from the Dundurn Park parking lot.)

Here is the tour schedule for 2009:

May 2-3 (Doors Open - Hamilton 1st Tour)
May 9 (Power Tour)
May 23 (Civil War Tour)
June 6 (Hamilton Firsts Tour)
June 20 (Masonic Tour)
July 4 (Firefighters Tour)
July 18 (Power of the City Tour)
August 1 (Civil War Tour)
August 15 (Firefighters Tour)
September 5 (Masonic Tour)
September 19 & 20 (Hamilton 1st Tour)
October 3 (Past Mayors Tour)
October 17 (Power of the City Tour)
November 7 & 14 (Veterans Tours)

For more information, visit Robin’s website Historical Perceptions