This cemetery is located in the Hathersage District North of Mayerthorpe on NE-3-58-8-W5. Rural Address 58032 Rge Rd 82. This cemetery is inactive, but in good condition and maintained by the County of Lac Ste. Anne. There is a general marker for all people believed to be in the cemetery, although only 12 headstones are present.
Driving instructions: Take Hwy 22 North of Mayerthorpe four miles to Hwy 18. Turn right (East) onto Hwy 18 and travel 2 miles to Rge Rd 82, turn right (South) and travel 1 mile. Cemetery is located on the right hand side of the road.

Much of the information collected here is from a book by Doug Hughes, "A Record of burials for the Hillside Cemetery, Hathersage District, Alberta," This book is available for viewing at the Mayerthorpe Public Library. It has a great deal of detail and many stories also.

The following article was in the Mayerthorpe Freelancer in 2002 ....
Local residents gathered at the Hathersage Hillside Cemetery on Aug. 11 to dedicate a memorial to the homesteaders buried in the cemetery.

The dedication marked the culmination of several year's effort, which has seen the cemetery restored to the pristine, tranquil setting it is today, and the transfer of the title to the County.

Over the past several years the Hathersage Cemetery Committee, under the Chairmanship of Dan Fischer, has devoted its efforts to erecting a sign and to removing the trees and undergrowth that had overtaken the cemetery.

At the same time, Doug Hughes, a former resident of the district, prepared a report that provides a historical perspective of the cemetery and lists the names of those interred. A copy of his report "A Record of burials for the Hillside Cemetery, Hathersage District, Alberta," may be viewed at the Mayerthorpe Public Library.

In 2001, Ron Kidd, local councillor, was instrumental in having title to the cemetery transferred to the County.

Dan Fischer announced that placement of the memorial plaque was made possible by a grant of nearly $1,000, which the cemetery committee received from the Shell Canada Community Service Fund.

Shell awarded the funds to recognize and support Doug Hughes, a Shell retiree and volunteer with the committee, for his role in preparing the cemetery report, and designing and commissioning the memorial plaque.

A spokesperson for Shell Public Affairs said, "Shell believes that contributions of time, effort and caring to non-profit organizations benefit the entire community. Through the Community Service Fund, we recognize and support Shell people who give personal time to non-profit organizations on a regular volunteer basis.

We have supported Shell volunteers through the Community Service Fund for 25 years. In 2000, Shell Canada granted $321,000 to 230 non-profit organizations across Canada."

The next time you are out for a Sunday drive, stop by the Hillside Cemetery to view the memorial and to see the results of a dedicated group of volunteers.