Annual Montgomery Cemetery Walk Planned For October

MONTGOMERY, IL — Each year, the volunteer-led Montgomery Historic Preservation Commission hosts a cemetery walk filled with history presented through authentic character portrayals.

This fall, the event is happening at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 at Riverside Cemetery, 414 N. River St. Participants will be led through the site on a tour to meet the "fascinating 'ghosts of' early Montgomery settlers and other cemetery residents," according to a news release.

Geared toward all ages, the walk is not a scary one but rather one focused on history and Montgomery icons. This year's event will highlight a Burlington Railroad dispatcher, a woman who lived in Montgomery in the early 1900s, a Kendall County pioneer and one of Montgomery's first police officers.

Visitors can show up between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., with tours departing from the corner of River and Taylor streets at the southeast side of the cemetery every 10 or so minutes, according to organizers.

Attendees should bring a flashlight and wear sturdy shoes. Dieterle Memorial Home, which owns and maintains Riverside Cemetary, will provide complimentary refreshments at the event.

Once the tour is over, guests will have the opportunity to purchase old Montgomery street signs for $10 a piece.

Historic Preservation Commission volunteers are still looking for guides to escort guests through the cemetery, according to the release. Those interested can contact the group at hpc@ci.montgomery.il.us.