St. Joseph Church and Cemetery
St. Joseph Church was built by Roman Catholic missionaries and the Kamloops Indian Band in the late 1800s and has been meticulously renovated, including its gilded altar and its period artifacts. Its rustic white steeple stands proudly against the Mount Paul skyline.
The St. Joseph Church and adjoining cemetery are open to visitors from July 1 to Labour Day. We visited the church and cemetery and were greeted by a very nice gentleman who walked us though the cemetery providing some of its history and its proximity to the church.
The St. Joseph Cemetery is just over the South Thompson River and dates back to the late 1800's when Saint Joseph Church was first established. Unfortunately, the pine planks for grave markers for these earlier sites have completely deteriorated with the passage of time.
The cemetery is maintained in traditional Tk’emlups te Secwepemc customs. Natural sage and native grasses are evident of these traditions. Most of the grave markers are made of wood usually in the form of a cross and are handmade. There are over 1,000 gravesites.
Just as you enter the cemetery, on your left, is a memorial and grave markers of three young braves. It is written in both English and in their native language.
We will honor them here:
Allen J. Leonard
PTE. Loyal Edmonton Regt.
1925 - 1944
Lest We Forget
Killed in Action
Robert L. Larue
PTE. P. P. CLI.
1925 - 1944
Lest We Forget
Killed in Action
Ernest Thomas
PTE. C. Scot. R.
1923 - 1944
Lest We Forget
Killed in Action
To your right is a memorial it is written in both English and in their native language:
This monument is dedicated to all members of the Kamloops Band whose unmarked graves lie on our lands.
To those who were lost in the great epidemics of disease that have been brought upon our people.
To those traditional people who have been buried outside of this graveyard.
To those children and elders of the band who have yet to be found.