Cemetery walk provides a glimpse into the past

The Elgin Area Historical Society's 22nd annual Historic Elgin Cemetery Walk will take place from noon to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27.

As visitors arrive at picturesque Bluff City Cemetery to await their tour, they will be greeted by Nettie Dunlap portrayed by Bonnie Conte. Nettie was the adopted daughter of a shoemaker and his wife. She grew up on North Street in Elgin. According to the newspapers, she had the voice of a nightingale. She also had a propensity to stray.

Also featured will be:

• Marge Edwards of the Dundee Township Historical Society will give a presentation on interesting epitaphs, both humorous and romantic. If you know of any, bring them with you to share with others.

• Arwin Price will be portrayed by E.C. "Mike" Alft. One former mayor portraying another former mayor. Arwin Price was a stone cutter by trade and absolutely not a teetotaler. It was during his term of office that many public works were instituted.

• Dr. Mildred Engelbrecht will be portrayed by Linda Rock. Mildred was a product of the Elgin public schools and went on to become an internationally known bacteriologist. She grew up on Perry Street with two sisters and a brother. Her two sisters both taught at Elgin High School and her brother became a bank president.

• Walter Mallet will be portrayed by Ken Gough. Walter was a volunteer soldier in the Civil War. He was wounded in the battle of Shiloh and spent some time at the infamous Andersonville Prison. He survived the war and went on to become a mail carrier in Elgin.

• Rodolphus Padelford will be portrayed by Mike Delehoy. Rodolphus was a very early photographer in Elgin who produced daguerreotype, a type of photography created on a copper plate. He was an excellent record keeper and was the city clerk of Elgin. His home was well known because it was octagonal in its design.

• Albert Marckhoff will be portrayed by August Conte. Albert was the original sexton of Bluff City Cemetery. It was his job to lay out the cemetery and arrange for the transfer of bodies from Channing Cemetery.

Tickets for $6 may be purchased in advance at the museum, 360 Park St., Ziegler's Ace Hardware stores on Spring Street and Lillian Street. Tickets at the gate will be $7 and $3.50 for those under the age of 18. For information, call (847) 742-4248 or visit www.elginhistory.org.