Beechwood Funeral, Cemetery & Cremation Services was founded in 1873 just fourteen years after Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the capital of the Dominion of Canada. At that time, city council had decreed burials were not permitted within the city limits, so Beechwood was located beyond what were then Ottawas boundaries. Stretching over 160-acres of land, Beechwood now resides on part of the original McPhail farm (100 acres) and the MacKay/Keefer estates. It became a prime example of the type of rural cemetery that emerged in the United States and Canada in the 19th century characterized by winding roads, picturesque vistas, wooded groves, unique landscaping.