Oakwood Cemetery tour to feature the famous and infamous

HERMITAGE – Sharon Historical Society is bringing back its Oakwood Cemetery Tour: The Stories Within June 10 with new stops.

The society celebrated Oakwood’s’ 150th anniversary in 2016 with a full-blown tour that attracted 350 visitors and another in 2017 that drew 250. Then in 2021 they did a smaller, abridged version.

The new tour is full of new stops, and there are no reservations necessary or limits on attendees.

“We’re hoping that the crowd will be the biggest it has been,” said Taylor Galaska, the historical society’s president and a Sharon councilman.

Two identical tours are at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, June 10 in Oakwood Cemetery, 600 N. Oakland Ave. Admission is $5.

Galaska said a lot of people ask why the Sharon Historical Society is conducting the tour because the cemetery is technically not in Sharon, it’s in Hermitage.

“Cemeteries have a lot of family history,” Galaska said. “That’s something a lot of people come here for. We want to highlight the history that’s there.”

A lifesize statue of a World War I doughboy honors Army Sgt. John V. Vanaerschot of Farrell, who died in the Battle of the Argonne Forest in France on Oct. 11, 1918, just a month before the war ended. He was reburied in Oakwood Cemetery in 1921.

In the past, cemeteries were the first historical societies, Galaska said. They preserved the history of the areas. People used to enjoy a picnic lunch at the cemetery, and the historical society wants to bring back days like that.

“People had an appreciation for the cemetery and its role,” Galaska said. “There’s half a dozen names there that are now streets. What did they do and how did they impact the community?”

Galaska was excited that they added a few new stops.

“Some of these folks are going to be kind of infamous residents of the cemetery,” Galaska said. “There is a criminal sent to Alcatraz twice and attempted to escape. A gentleman murdered by his wife and a few other interesting folks.”

Galaska’s personal favorite of the tour is the family mausoleums.

“We have an architect who talks about the architecture,” Galaska said. “Usually the mausoleum is open and you can walk into it.”

He said a lot of people also like to hear about the gypsy queen.

The guided tours will include an orientation at the veterans-section grandstand followed by stops at nine points of interest throughout the cemetery, many of which are new this year. Escorts will lead attendees in small groups to the stops. A historic interpreter will then provide biographical information about the subjects of each location.

Stops will include the Buhl Chapel and mausoleum; Billy Whitla “The Kidnapped Boy”; avid historian, writer, and world-traveler Sarah Graham Morrison; graves relocated from a former cemetery on the West Hill; the famous gypsy queen; family mausoleums; a man murdered by his wife in 1907 for insurance money; veterans; and an infamous extortionist, criminal, and attempted Alcatraz escapee.

A special souvenir booklet detailing the tour stops and other interesting facts about Oakwood Cemetery will be provided to participants. The Sharon Historical Society will also have a tent where memberships and additional merchandise and publications will be for sale.

Galaska suggests that attendees arrive 30 minutes early to allow for parking, registration, and walking to the orientation area. No vehicle traffic will be allowed inside the cemetery, other than directed parking in assigned areas.

The tour will involve about a mile and a half of walking on rolling, uneven terrain. The estimated length of the walk is nearly 2½ hours. Rest stops are limited. Participants will be on their feet for the entire event.

The Sharon Historical Society was founded as a non-profit organization in 2013. The society offers several free or economically-priced events annually for its members and the general public. This year the organization is celebrating its 10th anniversary with special events throughout the year. All proceeds from this event will benefit the society’s Wallis Mansion History Center, its new headquarters and museum at 290 E. State St.

“All the proceeds of this event will go directly to fulfilling our mission: to promote, to preserve, and to educate the public about the rich history we have here,” said Mike Kotyk, society treasurer. “Five dollars for this event is a steal when compared to surrounding organizations that have offered similar events.”