Surrey Centre Cemetery sits on the top of the hill above Mud Bay, overlooking farm land and the surrounding area as it has done for over 135 years. As the local communities have grown and prospered, we can find jewels of local history in the stories of settler families in their final resting place.
Through granite, marble and even wood-carved stones that dot the historic grounds, we find those who forged a new home and built a community. The cemetery holds the stories of veterans of all conflicts, including the Boer and the US Civil War as well as the family of an emancipated US slave who came to call Cloverdale home. Other features of the cemetery include a butterfly garden and a tree descended from the fields of Vimy Ridge.
Local Historian Sue Bryant took us on a tour as part of the 2021 BC Historical Federation conference. You can watch the video below.