Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum And Exhibit Hall
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum and Exhibit Hall
Der Mensch bezwingt den Kosmos (The Potsdam Mosaic)
De Tijdtrap
Qadian rooftop, Minaratul Masih, and Masjid Mubarak.
Aqsa Mosque
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
about 9 hours ago
Museum of Friends
The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free
about 10 hours ago
Grasshopper Chapel and grounds.
How the Rocky Mountain Locust Plague Spawned Federal Disaster Relief
1 day ago
The Guy Bradley Visitor Center at Flamingo in Everglades National Park.
America’s First Game Warden Died Fighting for the Birds
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Canada Ontario Silver Islet Cemetery
AO Edited

Silver Islet Cemetery

Carved wooden graves mark the plots at this cemetery in an old mining town.

Silver Islet, Ontario

Added By
Jennifer Billock
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
A wooden grave marker at Silver Islet Cemetery.   Washington Imaging / Alamy Stock Photo
A wooden grave marker at Silver Islet Cemetery.   Washington Imaging / Alamy Stock Photo
Old fenced grave with wooden marker.   Washington Imaging / Alamy Stock Photo
The of Silver Islet.   Tony Webster / CC BY-SA 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

During the silver boom of the late 1800s and early 1900s, the town of Silver Islet sprung up on the shores of Lake Superior in Canada. The town is still there, though now with only a handful of permanent residents. Tucked along a wooded trail, visitors will find the Silver Islet Cemetery—the final resting place of many silver miners and their families.

The graves date from 1870 to 1937. Headstones at the time of burial were usually made of wood, with families surrounded by picket fences. Over time, the surrounding wilderness has begun to take over the cemetery, leaving picket fences wound through with branches and roots, headstones decomposing or falling over, a partially maintained trail to see the graves—and ghosts of miners past.

Today, the children of Silver Islet have a challenge. Can they stay the night in the cemetery or in the field next to it without running back home (or to their rental cottage) after being chased out by the spirits? It’s a rite of passage for teens: Brave the spectral silver miners, and you’ll become a true resident of the town.

Related Tags

Great Lakes Trails Graveyards Local History Burial Places Cemeteries

Know Before You Go

The Silver Islet cemetery is on a trail heading toward the outskirts of town. Watch for overgrown fences and tombstones. Continue your hike on the cemetery trail that takes you through the woods and back into town.

Community Contributors

Added By

Jennifer Billock

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 12, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.timminstoday.com/column/back-roads-bill/back-roads-bill-takes-us-to-the-oldest-graves-in-ontario-7223570
Silver Islet Cemetery
Silver Islet, Ontario
Canada
48.344858, -88.798511

Nearby Places

Silver Islet Mine

Silver Islet, Ontario

miles away

Sleeping Giant

Thunder Bay, Ontario

miles away

Porphyry Point Lighthouse

Thunder Bay, Ontario

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ontario

Ontario

Canada

Places 181
Stories 13

Nearby Places

Silver Islet Mine

Silver Islet, Ontario

miles away

Sleeping Giant

Thunder Bay, Ontario

miles away

Porphyry Point Lighthouse

Thunder Bay, Ontario

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ontario

Ontario

Canada

Places 181
Stories 13

Related Places

  • The Stecci Cemetery

    Novakovići, Montenegro

    Medieval Slavic Cemetery

    A scattered cemetery of medieval tombstones, each carved with indivdual patterns and scenes, overlooking a bright blue lake.

  • This cemetery stands in stark contrast to its American counterpart.

    La Cambe, France

    Le Cambe German War Cemetery

    This place bears witness to the loss of many lives during WWII, and stands in stark contrast to the American Cemetery.

  • Chonmage-zuka, the grave of man buns.

    Hiratsuka, Japan

    Chonmage-zuka

    The burial site of 16 men’s hair buns, which were lopped off in place of their heads.

  • Warblington Gravewatcher’s Hut

    Warblington, England

    Gravewatcher's Huts

    These unassuming buildings in the tranquil churchyard of rural Warblington are in fact grave watchers’ huts.

  • Three concrete slabs with small, destroyed remains of headstones sit behind a V-shaped tree opening.

    Taos, New Mexico

    The Three Brujas

    Three witches are said to be buried beneath these unmarked concrete graves.

  • Grave in An Bang Cemetery

    Vinh An, Vietnam

    An Bang Cemetery

    A cityscape of burial tombs that you can easily lose yourself in.

  • Yanakie Station Cemetery

    Yanakie, Australia

    Yanakie Station Cemetery

    Only five people are buried in this tiny cemetery in Wilsons Promontory National Park.

  • The grave site of President Chester A. Arthur

    Menands, New York

    Albany Rural Cemetery

    The final resting place of President Chester A. Arthur and hundreds of others from Revolutionary War soldiers to poets, politicians, and painters.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.