The 29th annual Historical Cemetery Tour, hosted by the Historical Society of Long Beach,will return later this month to highlight the stories of past Long Beach residents who have made an impact on the city.
Attendees will get to explore stories of those buried at Long Beach’s oldest marked cemeteries – the Long Beach Municipal and Sunnyside cemeteries, 1095 and 1151 E. Willow St., respectively – from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25.
The all-ages event will include graveside vignettes and diverse community history told through pictorials, panels and presentations, according to a press release. Eight gravesites will feature actors from the Long Beach Playhouse, in period-appropriate costumes, portraying locals who had extraordinary lives and died extraordinary deaths, as well as ordinary people who helped the community grow.
Performances will run 10 minutes and repeat more than a dozen times throughout the event, allowing people to explore at their own pace. It is recommended to arrive before noon for the full experience, officials said.
Stories are selected that audiences can relate to through events in the city and their own experiences, said Julie Bartolotto, executive director of the Historical Society of Long Beach. This year’s choices reflect challenges faced by immigrants and the threats to freedom of speech.
“We always try to touch on current issues in the writing of the stories,” Bartolotto said in an interview. “We have a team of historians and writers who do a great job at that.”
Hundreds attended the 28th annual Historical Cemetery Tour on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at Long Beach’s Sunnyside and Municipal cemeteries. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
(L-R) Allen Sewell as Miles Sines and Paige Laney as Mary Ellis Carlton performing in “The Mary-Go-Round,” a presentation at the 28th annual Historical Cemetery Tour on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, which told the story of journalist Mary Ellis Carlton who started working at the Press-Telegram in the 1960s. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
“Saving Poly” was a presentation telling the story of the 1970s when a group of mothers, Black and White, vowed to not let Poly High School shut down, at the 28th annual Historical Cemetery Tour on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The 28th annual Historical Cemetery Tour on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, had a Dia de los Muertos ofrenda on display for attendees to learn about the tradition. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Hundreds attended the 28th annual Historical Cemetery Tour on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at Long Beach’s Sunnyside and Municipal cemeteries. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
This year’s tour will include the story of Mexican immigrants Ramona and Genero Linares, who owned and operated a successful restaurant for 50 years; the Darthula Bouggess and Willie White scholarship opportunity story; and Cora Morgan will talk about her lively adventures, including a losing campaign against building the Port of Long Beach with public funds.
Community historians Karen Harper and Reina Avila will talk about how local Japanese American families worked with The Farmers & Merchants Bank in the 1940s to save their homes during internment. Gus Walker and Kimi Sugiyama figured out how to pay the mortgages on the homes of the Isshiis, the Yomogidas, the Shirioshis and the Sugiyamas. Harper and Avila will share their stories of solidarity, kindness and determination.
The Historical Society hopes attendees take away a better understanding of Long Beach’s history from this year’s event, Bartolotto said.
“I hope that they understand a little bit more about Long Beach history and the people who contribute to the community,” she said. “We always like to highlight that the fabric of the culture here is influenced by so many immigrants, and almost everybody here came from somewhere.”
The event will also include a Día de los Muertos installation, Cambodian memorial flags and local authors signing books. An on-site merchandise booth will offer books, postcards and reprints of historical photographs, according to the press release.
What makes the annual Historical Cemetery Tour special is that it’s different every year, Bartolotto said. The stories come to life thanks to the dedication of the volunteers and performers who want to share Long Beach’s history — and, she said, “there’s so much of it.”
Guests can bring their own refreshments and take advantage of the rest area, and are encouraged to bring their reusable water bottles. Water will be provided by Long Beach Utilities.
There is limited on-site parking for compact automobiles. But parking is also available at nearby Willow Springs Park, where there is an entrance to the Municipal Cemetery and the event. Carpooling is recommended and bicycle parking will be available.
Tickets are available for purchase now for $25, day-of tickets will be $30, and youth ages 5 to 18 tickets are $8. Purchase tickets online at hslb.org.