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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 2:38 PM CDT
Graveyard walk offers insight on local history

By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com

CHARLESTON — Some voices from Coles County history will speak up Saturday in Mound and Roselawn cemetery.

But there’s nothing supernatural about it. It’s just a daytime cemetery walking tour to discover some local history.

Eastern Illinois University historical administration students are offering an intepretation of noted residents from the county’s past with presenters in costume during the Cemetery Walk. The event is free and appropriate for all ages. Some moderate walking is involved. Visitors may roam the cemetery grounds between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Brochures about the site will be available for self-guided tours, co-sponsored by the Coles County Historical Society.

“We’re doing this on All Saints’ Day. But this is a historical interpretation on local history by our class,” said Tamara Wolski, an Eastern graduate student. “We’ll be out there rain or shine. This is a good way to learn about county history.”

Historic interpretations are scheduled at 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

“The people we’ve chosen for this were significant to Coles County history,” said Kitty Nowak, one of the class interpreters.

The group of noted residents from the past include a tavern owner, early settler, a lawyer and state legislator, a Temperance League member and some soldiers. The subjects were selected to present a wide variety of people in society during the county’s history.

The graduate students have received assistance on costume acquisition from theater supporters and Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site volunteers.

There will also be a presentation on the different styles of tombstones in the cemetery. Some old tombstones and monuments are true works of art.

“We’re calling this our stylistic tour,” said Wolski.

Times for the stylistic tours are 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.

Organizers ask people to park just off Illinois Route 316 near the chapel. The cemetery is located west of Charleston. Look for signs to the Cemetery Walk on the right side and park on gravel roads if possible.

Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.

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Eastern Illinois University historical administration graduate students, from left, Jennifer Fair, Amanda Paszek, Kathleen Ebeling, Betsy Giles, Tamara Wolski, Christopher Davis and Kitty Nowak take a break from preparations for Saturday’s Cemetery Walk at Charleston. Herb Meeker/Staff