Historical Society’s ghost tours of Woodland Cemetery begin Oct. 5

QUINCY — The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County’s Woodland Cemetery ghost tours allow participants to take a trip into Quincy’s historic past. This walking event is scheduled on Saturdays in October plus Halloween night in Woodland Cemetery, 1020 S. Fifth.

The tours will feature experienced guides who will lead the groups on paths through the cemetery where they will see and hear actors and interpreters in period attire stationed at the graves and offering the entertaining, amusing and poignant stories of their lives. Sometimes famous “ghosts” with a Quincy connection but not buried at Woodland may appear because they are visiting friends and relatives.

The tours will be held Oct. 5, 12, 19 and 26 and on Halloween night, Oct. 31. Times available each evening are 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tour themes are Ghosts of Shiloh, Oct. 5; Musical Spirits, Oct. 12 and Oct. 26; and Over Here and Over There: World War II, Oct. 19 and Oct. 31.

A special guest during the Ghosts of Shiloh tour will be living historian Curt Fields, a nationally known Ulysses S. Grant interpreter who will visit friends and comrades who participated in the Battle of Shiloh during the Civil War.

During the Musical Spirits tours, people will hear stories from beloved Quincy musicians, music teachers and conductors such as Paul Morrison.

Over Here and Over There will feature men and women who participated in various aspects of World War II. War pilots, Red Cross and USO workers and civilian inventors whose products were used in the European theaters of war will be telling their stories.

The cost of the Historical Society tour is $15 per person with reservations are required. To make a reservation, call the HSQAC office at 217-222-1835.

The proceeds support the preservation of the Gov. John Wood Mansion and the History Museum on the Square.