It opened in 1850 and is located on the southern shore of Little Lake.

Prior to its establishment, the people of Peterborough buried their dead in the middle of town where Peterborough Collegiate now stands.

[1] The cemetery was surveyed by F. F. Passmore, with the assistance of Sandford Fleming.

[2] The chapel was constructed in the Carpenter Gothic style in 1877 by Alfred Belcher, brother of John E. Belcher.

Some argued the construction of a chapel went against the non-denominational character of the cemetery, but it is largely a decorative landmark and a convenience during inclement weather.