Tuesday, September 05, 2023

Enjoy "The View From Cemetery Hill" on Sept. 24

September's going to be busy in Chariton what with Homecoming on Sept. 15, an open house at the Historical Society museum from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, the 16th, the big centennial observance for Hotel Charitone and the Chariton High School building on Sunday, Sept. 17, and ....

... the 19th annual Chariton Cemetery Heritage Tour, scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24.

This year's theme is, "The View from Cemetery Hill," chosen primarily because we'll be set up on the highest point in the cemetery --- a short stretch of paved driveway that crests the shady hilltop northwest of the Shelter House.

Our five special guests are buried in kind of a circle around this point where seating will be provided around the podium to which each will be called in turn from his or her grave.

Those guests this year will include John Lee Brown, Iowa's 14th state auditor whose collision during the 1880s with Iowa Gov. Buren Sherman makes the ongoing 21st century dispute between Auditor Rob Sand and Gov. Kim Reynolds look like a Sunday school picnic.

We'll also hear from Anna Margaret (Redlingshafer) Rosa-Wulf, a pioneer whose journey through life began in Bavaria during 1824; Oran Alonzo Hougland, an architect; Mary (Sutphin) Scott Howard, a pioneer at Chariton Point; and Susanna (Millan) Custer, who has some great stories of very early Lucas County to share.

Admission is by free-will donation and, of course, there will be light refreshments after. The tour is sponsored by the Chariton Historic Preservation Commission in cooperation with the city and cemetery staff.


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