The Historical Society of Long Beach will bring history to life Saturday, Oct. 27 at its 12th annual cemetery tour in two of the oldest cemeteries in Long Beach, Municipal and Sunnyside, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at 1095 East Willow Avenue in Long Beach.
During the event, actors in period costume will recount the stories of the lives and deaths of individuals buried in the cemeteries, which were originally the burial grounds for local ranchos. With stories spanning the 1860s to the 1990s, guests will hear about the many eras of Long Beach from its beginnings as an Englishman’s dream town to seaside resort to the fifth largest city in the state of California.
This year’s stories include a prominent minister who crusaded for moral purity in the early 1900s, a football star who played for USC in their first game in the Coliseum and the first game ever played in the Rose Bowl, an early pioneer in the city’s African-American community, and a Union soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his service in a Civil War battle, among others.
Assistance from the Long Beach Playhouse helped with the historical element of the story telling with costumes designed to be historically accurate down to the shoes, stockings and smallest underpinnings. Volunteer actors include historians, lawyers, educators and artists telling the stories of those buried in the two cemeteries.
In addition to the actors, there will be exhibits about cemetery symbols, death journalism, premature burials and Halloween traditions from around the world including a craft table where kids can decorate a sugar skull in tradition of Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration. Free food will also be provided.
Tickets for the 12th annual cemetery tour go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for members, $5 for students under 18 and children ages 11 and under are free.
For additional information, contact Julie Bartolotto at (562) 424-2220.
