A Tribute to Valley Pioneers was placed by the Rotary Club of Invermere on the newly installed memorial wall.
The memorial wall is to honor those that have passed away, though not necessarily interred in the Windermere Cemetery. The memorial wall is located just as you enter the cemetery and has seven sections divided by natural stone pillars. Windermere Lake is a beautiful backdrop for this memorial wall as well as the entire cemetery.
Windermere Cemetery is located on 4.4 acres on beautiful Windermere Point, the first recorded burials were in 1886. There are approximately 500 interments.
This is a very old cemetery with beautiful views of Lake Windermere and some very interesting old headstones.
Early settlers, miners and soldiers who lived and died in the Windermere Valley are interred here. The cemetery originally was divided into Protestants, Catholics and Others sections.
In 1972, the cemetery property was transferred to the corporation of the Village of Invermere, the closest official town. In 1984, the cemetery was declared an historical site under the Heritage Conservation Act, and it is currently owned by the District of Invermere. In 1997, the Windermere District Historical Society and the Rotary Club of Invermere constructed a columbarium and memorial wall.
There is a granite sign inscribed as follows:
Windermere District Cemetery
A Tribute to Valley Pioneers
The cemetery was first opened in 1886 when R. L. T. Galbraith donated the site for use by people of the valley. A 1911survey divided sites according to Protestant, Roman Catholic and Other now the Legion Section. In 1924 the Windermere District Cemetery Co. was formed, charging $10 a plot. Windermere Orchard Co. and later Invermere Contracting Co. managed the property until control passed to Invermere, the closest official town. Windermere District Historical Society accomplished the Heritage Site status in 1984. The problem of early graves being unmarked eventually led to the closing of the cemetery. In 1996 a reopening for Columbarium and Memorial Sites was initiated by the Windermere District Historical Society and Rotary Club of Invermere.