Enjoy beautiful Oak Ridge Cemetery, meet period actors and learn about six Sangamon County residents who made a difference in our history. The Sangamon County Historical Society will offer its annual Echoes of Yesteryear – A Walk Through Oak Ridge Cemetery tour from 12-3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4.
The walk is easy. Participants will board a bus to be dropped off at the first grave site, walk to the other grave sites and then be transported back to the parking area. The entire walk is around a half mile.
“This year’s Cemetery Walk will provide visitors with a glimpse into the history and heritage of Springfield and Sangamon County,” said Susan Helm, chair of the cemetery committee. “These authentic stories, which have been thoroughly researched, will take the audience back to an earlier time and provide insight into their lives and the issues of their time.”
Participants will be given a look at the late 1800s and early 1900s and up to the present with stories from a tough English teacher, feisty union activist, devoted state museum carpenter, sad mother, wronged teen and daredevil balloonist.
Historical figures who will be portrayed include:
Elizabeth Graham – Graham, portrayed by Deb Vandevoort, will share not only her story but also that of her friend Susan Wilcox. Wilcox taught English at Springfield High School where one of her students would become Springfield’s famous poet, Vachel Lindsay. Graham later joined the SHS English faculty and already knew of Lindsay’s poetry. After retirement – one forced upon her by the school board – she devoted her life to preserving Lindsay’s legacy as well his home on FifthStreet where she served as the curator of the home. Many will, no doubt, remember her demanding attention by all who visited.
Andy Vandevoort and Kathryn Harris, pictured during the 2025 Oak Ridge Cemetery Walk, will be portraying different historical characters this year. photo by Ernie Slottag
John Lewis – A strong union activist, Lewis served as president of the United Mine Workers Association starting in 1919. He fought for workers’ rights, helped pass the Illinois law for workers compensation and traveled all over the country in his role. Actor Andy Vandevoort will relate the many stories about Lewis, who met with presidents, got in a fistfight with another leader in the middle of a convention and led a nationwide coal strike.
Augusta Senf – The story told at this site, portrayed by Sandra Fritz, will focus on Senf’s four children, who all died young. Surrounding their graves are many other graves of young children who succumbed to cholera infantum and typhoid in the early part of the 20th century. Others died of measles. Senf will enlighten listeners about the horrible diseases and modern treatments and vaccines that eventually helped to end so many deaths in children.
Josephine Snowden Meek – The Black teen excelled at Springfield High School, graduating in 1907, but was stripped of her designation of valedictorian along with another girl who was to be named salutatorian. Kathryn Harris will share the controversy and the humiliation but also the future success of Meek as a teacher in Kentucky, mother of Springfield leader Vesta Nichols and grandmother of Springfield Dr. Victoria Nichols Johnson.
Robert Preston Taylor – Taylor’s father was born into slavery and served in the U.S. Colored Infantry during the Civil War; he witnessed Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. From 1912 to 1949, Robert worked at the Illinois State Museum as a custodian, carpenter, exhibit coordinator and all-around handyman. Although he earned a law degree, he loved the work at the museum. Portrayed by Bob Davis, visitors will hear about Taylor’s unique duties, including putting the glass eye back in the bison when it fell out.
Joe Gomes – Gomes was a daredevil balloonist, not just traveling in a basket under a hot air balloon but instead waiting for the hot air balloon to be released and running next it, then grabbing onto a trapeze attached under the ballon and letting the breeze lift him into the sky. Actor Brody Elder will tell about the exciting performance Gomes gave on Dec. 5, 1887, taking off from Ninth and Enos streets, doing tricks on the trapeze and floating down with a parachute. Come hear how far he went and where he landed.
Cinda Ackerman Klickna is a board member of the Sangamon County Historical Society.
This article appears in 2026 Fall Guide.
