For the fourth year in a row, history will come alive in Oak Grove Cemetery on South Sandusky Street in Delaware.
On Sunday, Oct. 11, the Delaware County Historical Society will host the Cemetery Walk, in which actors will portray 11 notable Delawareans who are buried there. This year’s tour will feature a completely new list of historic figures from Delaware, including Allie Mathews, wife of the William Mathews – the last town marshal and first chief of police for the city of Delaware; Robert G. Lybrand, owner, business manager, and president of the Delaware Chair Company; Harriet Calista (Clark) McCabe, activist and author of publications for churches and the Temperance Union; Hosea Williams, entrepreneur and businessman in early Delaware; and William Little, merchant and owner of vast properties in the city of Delaware.
Also portrayed will be Dr. Ralph Hills, a renaissance man and physician; George F. Hoffman, native of Germany and owner of a bakery and general store; Ruth Emma (Murray) Dodd, victim of the 1903 Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago; Henry C. Clay, a Civil War veteran and Baptist minister; and Eva and Nellie Melching, who lost their lives in the 1913 flood.
This is a ticketed event. Continuing guided tours will leave every 20 minutes from the registration table near Soldiers Circle. The first tour will start at 1 p.m., and the last tour will start at 3:20 p.m. Each tour will last approximately an hour and 30 minutes.
Parking will be available at the cemetery, however there is no handicapped accessibility, and the tour will involve some walking over uneven ground. Participants are requested to be at the cemetery at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time so the tour group can assemble.
To purchase tickets, which will be limited, and schedule a tour time, visit www.DelawareOhioHistory.org or search “Cemetery Walk” on EventBright.
There may be a limited number of walk-ins allowed, but an additional charge will apply. Visitors will be asked to wear facial coverings and social distance while on the tour.
For more information, email [email protected] or call 740-369-3831, extension 3.
The Delaware County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote, preserve and sustain interest in the history of Delaware County. The Barn at Stratford is operated by DCHS as an event venue for weddings, corporate meetings and other special occasions. To learn more, visit the venue and society web sites at barnatstratford.org and delawareohiohistory.org.
