A Rabbit's Tale 8/19/2010

Developing a Cemetery Walk
by Sandy Peavey

Several years ago on a trip out east doing genealogy we stopped at a cemetery walk. It was wonderful! After we arrived home I thought about it and thought that we could do this here. I hadn’t heard about anything like it around our area and thought it would be well received. As president of our local historical society and supervisor of the History Room at the library I could incorporate it into my jobs. I was on my way.


The hardest part was convincing people they wanted to take part in it and explaining what it was. I had several people explaining to me they walk the cemetery all the time it was” no big deal”. I put articles in the local papers asking people to meet with us planning the walk and what it was. I knew I could count on a few friends but I needed more. Once I had 5 we were on our way.

How we explained to people what we were trying to do was act out a sketch of the person buried in the cemetery talking about their profession or an event from their life.

We had:
*A Lumber camp cook talking about the food and serving the men a little about her life and how she started working the camps.
*A young teenage girl who died in the influenza outbreak.
*A farmer,
*A Merchant
*Secret Society members such as the Klan and Odd fellows and Masons.
*We had a lady do a school teacher from a one room school house.
*The great granddaughter of one of the first town doctors talk about what it was like practicing medicine in the early days of the area.
* Myths and lore of death and dying talking about some of the beliefs and superstitions brought from “the Old country”.
*A young mother who lost her children at an early age and soon passed over shortly after.
*We had two local funeral homes take part showing an old hearse and the other talking about early embalming practices showing some old tools.
*Gravestone symbols and what they mean.
*Civil War re enactor set up a camp and talked about the war.
*Native American burials and their early life in the area.
*First newspaper editor in town was done by a descendent.

And many more.

So many topics could be used from bankers to candle stick makers. One thing we did do if we were doing someone not from our family was to get written permission from the family. We had on loan electric carts, to take people around that could not walk the tour, from a local car dealership. The Historical society had books and helped guide people. The city chamber provided cookies and water and punch.

The first year, it was slow, it was on a Saturday afternoon in the fall. But the people who did come talked about it to others. The local paper ran an article with pictures. People were calling and asking if they could help next year. I had other cities call and ask if I could help them do one. The idea of a Cemetery Walk has caught on finally and seems to be growing. People I never expected to be interested have asked questions and are volunteering to help with the next one. Boy and Girl Scouts want to get involved to help toward heritage badges. Commission on aging and a retirement home has asked for information, they would like to bring their residents.

We do not charge for the walks but we do take up donations that go to the Historical Society and toward any expenses that are involved. There aren’t many expenses other than advertising and any permits that may be required. It is an easy, fun event that not only teaches people about the past but gets others interested. It interests people for many reasons. One local teacher even gave extra credits for anyone that attended.

The following year went much smoother. Other than last minute cancellations by a couple of people it came together smoothly. We did it in the fall the second time but on a Sunday afternoon.

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Sandy Peavey
http://cemeterydivas.blogspot.com/
http://newaygocountycemeteryladies.blogspot.com/