All cemetery grounds are open from 7am until dusk

The main door of the mausoleums opens automatically from 7am until 6pm daily

History

Gate of Heaven Cemetery traces its origins to 1897, when Riverdale Cemetery, a non-sectarian cemetery located on Riverdale Road in the Town of Lewiston, sold a portion of its land to St. Mary and Sacred Heart Parishes in Niagara Falls. The cemetery was consecrated later that same year by Bishop James E. Quigley.

In 1925, Riverdale Cemetery officials challenged the original land transfer, claiming the 1897 conveyance was invalid. After years of legal proceedings, a settlement was reached seventeen years later, and Gate of Heaven Cemetery was officially established in 1942. The cemetery is located near Niagara University and the Niagara Power Project, just east of Route 104 (Lewiston Road).

Three chapel mausoleums enhance the cemetery grounds: Gate of Heaven, Holy Angels, and All Saints. Visitors to the Gate of Heaven Chapel Mausoleum are welcomed by a stained glass window depicting St. Peter at the entrance to Heaven. Holy Angels Chapel Mausoleum features a mosaic of St. Michael the Archangel along with stained glass windows portraying angels. The All Saints Chapel Mausoleum, the most recent addition, showcases a beautiful stained glass window of the Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit honored by the saints.

Today, Gate of Heaven Cemetery encompasses approximately 32 acres in the Town of Lewiston and is the resting place of more than 16,000 individuals. About 9 acres of land remain available for future cemetery development.