St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church

St. Andrew(a)s Presbyterian Church was built in 1835 and the congregation vacated it in 1880 when they became a founding component of Central Presbyterian Church. The church was demolished in 1889. The Pioneer Pergola, on this site, was built by the Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire of Galt in 1907 to honour the memory of Galt(a)s early settlers. The grave markers have dates from 1835-1873. A pergola takes it(a)s name from the Italian word for (a)open arbor(a). The markers record the names of 207 of Galt(a)s earliest settlers, 112 of whom can be identified as members of St. Andrew(a)s Church. The others apparently originated in the former cemetery of the United Presbyterian Church, which stood where Centennial Park is now at Main and Shade Streets.

I took these pics in October 2010. I was horrified when revisiting the site in spring 2011 to find that some idiots had spray painted all over the markers...bright orange, etc...this pergola had undergone extensive refurbishment in 1994 when the city had it dismantled and rebuilt. It(a)s been months since I(a)ve been back, so not sure if the defacement remains. The stones were so pristine, too...considering their age, they glowed white, and now they have been ruined by a-holes.