Racine & Me: Mysteries from the Grave Burlington Cemetery Tour

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Ann Beardsley and Mary Anne Hoff are both Whispers from the Past Founding Members. They joined us in studio to promote the Mysteries from the Grave Burlington Cemetery Tour.

This is our 4th annual Cemetery Walk. The theme for this year’s walk is “Mysteries from the Grave.” Two gravesites will be visited where actors will tell the person’s story. One of the gravesites this year is Ellen Hyde Percival, a child who lived less than 24 hours. Actors impersonate her mother and father who were on the train going to Seattle to return to their home in New Zealand. The mother started an early delivery, and the train made an unscheduled stop in Burlington because Burlington had a hospital.

The baby did not survive and was buried in Burlington Cemetery. No tombstone. No one ever visited. No one ever laid flowers. . . until D. on Vande Sand and Bev Gill wondered why? Believe it or not they found relatives in Auckland, New Zealand. And the relatives have sent money for a headstone even though they never knew about Ellen. Her parents did not tell anyone. We’re hoping the people of Burlington (and anyone else who wishes) “adopts” Ellen’s gravesite and stops to remember her for a moment or leaves flowers. James Jesse Strang- King or Con Man? When Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church, was assassinated, James Strang was a contender for the highest position in the Mormon Church. He established a settlement in Burlington on the banks of the White River which at one time was purported to be home to over 2,000 people.

At one point, he moved his flock to Beaver Island in Michigan and there he was shot. Mortally wounded, he returned to Burlington, where he died. Mr. Myles Harvey, who wrote a book about Strang and the controversy surrounding his life and death will present his story. Copies of his book will be available for purchase. 

For more information, click here: Burlington History