In the cemetery are memorials in remembrance of both the victims of The Hillcrest Mine Disaster and of other mining accidents across Canada. They were placed in the year 2000. Many of the victims of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster couldn't be identified and were placed in a mass grave in the cemetery. A good number, though, are buried with headstones noting their cause of death as the "Mine Explosion, June 19, 1914".
Still an active cemetery for the town of Hillcrest, there are currently 1009 known interments within.
Hillcrest Cemetery
The laying out of the new town of Hillcrest (or Hillcrest Mines) in 1905 was followed by the establishment of the Hillcrest Cemetery in 1909, on land donated by the Hillcrest Coal and Coke Company. This flat sunny terrace must have seemed an ideal location, with views of the Frank Slide to the northwest and the surface plant of the Hillcrest Mine looming above the town to the south. The Hillcrest Cemetery included separate sections for Masonic Lodge and Catholic interments, and after 1928 the Catholic section was sometimes called St. Theresa's Cemetery.
The Hillcrest Mine Disaster
Coal mining in the Crowsnest Pass was a dangerous business. Hard working conditions and the risks of rockfall, fire and poisonous gas inevitably led to fatalities, but the greatest threat was from explosion. To reduce the risk, mines used a system of air shafts and large ventilation fans to dilute methane gas, and did rock-dusting with powdered limestone to control coal dust. Even so, mine explosions in the region claimed the lives of 128 men in BC at Coal Creek in 1902, 14 men at Morrissey and 7 men at Michel in 1904, and on the Alberta side of the Pass 3 men were killed in Coleman in 1907 and 31 men died in the Bellevue Mine Disaster of 1910.
Although the Hillcrest Mine was considered one of the safest in the region, disaster was around the corner. On Friday June 19, 1914 an underground pocket of methane gas ignited, which set off a larger coal dust explosion. A total of 189 men were killed, the worst mining accident in Canadian history, and at the time the world's third worst mine disaster. The explosion was so violent that it even destroyed part of the surface plant and collapsed the main mine entrance.
The disaster had a profound effect on the town of Hillcrest Mines. 189 men were killed, which was about twenty percent of the town's population and half of the mine's total workforce. About ninety women were widowed and nearly 250 children were left fatherless.
Coping with the disaster put considerable strain on the resources of this small community. Some of its larger indoor spaces, such as the Masonic hall and the miners' union meeting hall, were used as temporary morgues. Group funeral services were held in the three small churches and most of the coffins were buried in a mass grave within Hillcrest Cemetery, although a few were buried elsewhere. About five thousand people attended the services and interment.
Condolences came from across the country and a telegram was received from King George V, but the commencement of World War One in July quickly overshadowed the Hillcrest Mine Disaster.
Remembering History
With the closure of the Hillcrest Mine in 1939, the town of Hillcrest Mines began to decline and the cemetery fell into neglect. Major cleanups and improvements were made by concerned citizens in 1954, 1985, 2000 and 2013. Hillcrest Cemetery was declared a Provincial Historic Resource in 1985.
Today, a short easy walk through the cemetery takes you past the mass graves of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster, where you can view a series of interpretive signs, leading to a viewing/seating area. Many other historic graves can be found throughout the cemetery; please use respect when visiting these sites. Another notable feature is the cemetery's perimeter fence, constructed from salvaged mine materials including hoist cable and two different sizes of rails.
The Hillcrest Mine Disaster Millennium Memorial monument was placed in front of the cemetery in 2000. The smaller monuments that encircle the central obelisk serve as remembrances for the loss of life from other mine disasters across Canada, where three or more deaths have occurred during a single accident.
In 2014 the Hillcrest Mine Disaster Centennial Committee completed a capital improvement project and hosted several events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster. The Committee acknowledges the many volunteers and financial sponsors who made Hillcrest 100 a reality.
Learn more about The Hillcrest Mine Disaster