Hillcrest Mine and Cemetery
Hillcrest Mine and Cemetery
Hillcrest Mine and Cemetery
4.5
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2 within 5 kms
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10 within 10 kms
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
26 reviews
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11
Very good
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Sarah K
Edmonton, Canada1,299 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
This is a monument to the Hillcrest Mine Disaster. It also lists dozens of Canada's other fatal mining incidents. Then you can walk into the cemetery and see their names, ages and exact jobs as you walk past the mass graves. Very somber experience.
Written September 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gmdalberta
Edmonton, Canada300 contributions
Jul 2020
You do not realize the gravity of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster until you visit the cemetery where most of the victims are buried. They have assembled a nice park by the cemetery, alone with erecting a black marble obelisk detailing the casualties, along with black marble headstones around the circumference of the obelisk base. These stones detail other Canadian coal mine disasters in Alberta, BC. Nova Scotia and other provinces for the last 150 years or so. Very interesting point of interest!!
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
45pictures
96 contributions
Aug 2019 • Couples
This cemetery is home to locals passed and is a special tribute to those lost in the Mine; June 19, 1914 remains in history as Canada’s worst mine disaster. 189 men were killed that day; most were immigrants and the monument outlines the countries of birth of the victims. Less than two dozen were born in North America, the others came from the United Kingdom and many were Europeans, the largest percentage, with 43 recorded dead, were from Austria Hungary. The memorial also honours those lost in several other mine accidents through the years across this great country of Canada.
Friends brought us here and gave us a tour, showing the immediate family plot as well as the memorial set up for the miners lost. It is indeed a beautiful setting; you can see Turtle Mountain to the West, site of another tragedy that also occurred in the Pass in the early 20th century known locally as “The Frank Slide” (more on that in another review).
The cemetery is, for the most part, very well maintained. Some headstones and markers could use repair or straightening; but that does not detract from the essence; after all it is a cemetery, with some graves well over 100 years old.
Take your time; wander around. There are several interpretive signs set up to explain the history of this tragedy, and others the community has endured over the years, as well as some significant accomplishments recorded..
If going in the summer months, I would suggest morning time is best. While The Pass is known for windy weather, I figure it could get quite hot in the still air after mid-day, or the wind could be pretty warming itself.
This site would tie in nicely with a visit to the Crowsnest Pass Museum and Archives located a bit to the west in Coleman to learn more of the stories of the region.
Friends brought us here and gave us a tour, showing the immediate family plot as well as the memorial set up for the miners lost. It is indeed a beautiful setting; you can see Turtle Mountain to the West, site of another tragedy that also occurred in the Pass in the early 20th century known locally as “The Frank Slide” (more on that in another review).
The cemetery is, for the most part, very well maintained. Some headstones and markers could use repair or straightening; but that does not detract from the essence; after all it is a cemetery, with some graves well over 100 years old.
Take your time; wander around. There are several interpretive signs set up to explain the history of this tragedy, and others the community has endured over the years, as well as some significant accomplishments recorded..
If going in the summer months, I would suggest morning time is best. While The Pass is known for windy weather, I figure it could get quite hot in the still air after mid-day, or the wind could be pretty warming itself.
This site would tie in nicely with a visit to the Crowsnest Pass Museum and Archives located a bit to the west in Coleman to learn more of the stories of the region.
Written August 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ted M
Vancouver, Canada932 contributions
Jun 2017 • Friends
Driving west from Lethbridge on Highway 3 we noticed a sign for Crow’s Nest Valley historical driving tour so we followed the well marked route. It brought us to Hillcrest Mine Cemetery and Memorial. Tranquil spot with views to the Frank Slide and the burial place for the majority of the 189 miners killed in Canada’s worst mining disaster (1914). A monument at the entrance to the cemetery features an obelisk circled by plaques chronicling mining disasters in Canada from the late 1800’s. The monument area includes a short walking path with placards explaining factors about the event and its aftermath. Worth a shot diversion and if you watch for route signage leaving the memorial it takes you over a section of the debris field at the foot of the slide (gravel road for about 1 Km) and back to Highway 3. The event was a bit overshadowed by WWI coverage so it is nice to see the disaster more formally recognized.
Written June 25, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oilerman
Calgary, Canada300 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
I know cemetery visits are not everyone's cup of tea, but for myself being interested in history this was an important stop to make for both interest and for teaching my two girls. The site is excellent and informative, my kids had so many questions about the time period of the mine explosion. They are still pretty young but I think the visit was valuable for us and would recommend it.
Written September 5, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alexander the Scot
Medicine Hat, Canada25 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
There is sadness at every turn. Graves, displays and info told a story of families losing they loved ones. “Mine explosion” was a common reason for scores of men dying. Wives and children left on their own to pick up the pieces. We walked the full length of the cemetery.
Written August 21, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thea_door
Campbell River, Canada11 contributions
Jun 2018
It would be well worth your time to drive to the Hillcrest Mine cemetery and memorial grounds. The compassion shown at this site make us believe in our future citizens.
Written June 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jess152
Alberta108 contributions
Sept 2016 • Family
This pretty, little cemetery is always an interesting stop. We've been numerous times and always find something new. Graves from the Hillcrest Mine Disaster to the present and some that are without a marker, so you can only guess. Some are very detailed with the birthplace, etc.
Written March 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle L
Calgary, Canada33 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
We heard about the Hillcrest Mine disaster when we were at the Frank Slide interpretive centre. Listening to the presentation on it, they described 5 miners (four of whom died in 1914) - so it was neat to find their gravestones in the disaster area of the cemetery. Also, there's an interpretive short walk near the entrance to the cemetery - lots of information here.
Written August 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Murray D
Saint John, Canada490 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
We read about how this was the worst mining disaster in Canadian history. I think it was 186 miners dead. They list all of the coal mining disasters in Canadian history. Sad really to think about the men who lost their lives back then trying to feed their families.
The is a couple memorials and lots of plaques to read in different spots near the main memorial.
Everyone should visit a spot like this as it's important history especially for this area.
Two of the miners who dug themselves from the Frank slide disaster were killed in this mine when the explosion took place around 10 years later.
The is a couple memorials and lots of plaques to read in different spots near the main memorial.
Everyone should visit a spot like this as it's important history especially for this area.
Two of the miners who dug themselves from the Frank slide disaster were killed in this mine when the explosion took place around 10 years later.
Written July 6, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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