July 1, 2025
The Move of Niagara University’s Our Lady of the Angels Cemetery to New Jersey, Lewiston
A small cemetery of approximately fifty graves used to exist on the north side of the Niagara University’s campus. In 1958 the graves were moved to St. Joseph College in Princeton, New Jersey.
Here are two articles from the Niagara Falls Gazette concerning the move:
“NU CEMETERY SLATED TO BE MOVED
Amateur grave-differs, seeking non-existent jobs at $27 an hour, flocked to Niagara Falls last week, all spurred by rumors that the impending power project construction would result in moving large cemeteries in the area.
The rumors, of course, were untrue. Plans for the power project do not call for moving any of the large or public cemeteries.
However, one cemetery in the area probably will be moved as part of the overall power-parks-parkways development, the Niagara Falls Gazette learned.
The job, however, won’t require the servies of the hundred of men who have been signing up at a local church.
In fact, according to a local undertaker, the entire job will take eight men about a week.
Involved in the Our Lady of the Angels Cemetery owned by Niagara University. Approximately 50 graves are included.
The cemetery is located on the west side of Lewiston road. It probably will be taken by the state for the parkway to be built from Niagara Falls to Youngstown.1
“SHIFT OF NY CEMETERY STARTS SOON
Moving of Niagara University’s Our Lady of the Angels Cemetery to make way for parkway construction in connection with the Niagara power project is expected to begin next week, a State Power Authority source said today.
Preliminary work – moving of several satutes [sic] – already is underway. A statue of St. Vincent is to be moved to a site to be designated by University officials and a statue of the Virgin Mary, presently in a grotto, will be stored until a new grotto is built. A shaft with a cross on its top will be moved onto the university. The fences surrounding the cemetery also will be salvaged.
Heavy work in the statue moving is being handled by the Cataract Contracting Co, Niagara Falls.
Moving of the cemetery is believed to have inspired a series of rumors last winter that the SPA was going to pay up to $40 an hour for the “dangerous” work.
The graves are to be moved to St. Joseph College, Princeton, N.J. Details of the project are still to be worked out.“2