Aug. 11, 2008

Mackinac Island, Mich. - Each headstone has a story to tell. You can read the date of birth, of death, the name, and possibly a special inscription such as "father" or "mother" or "son." You may wonder about the person buried beneath the historic stone. Who was he? Why did he die so young? Who loved him? And especially, who was he?

On Aug. 13, you will find out. The tours of Mackinac Island's three historic cemeteries - the Post, St. Anne's Catholic and Protestant cemeteries - begin at 8 p.m., with the last tour leaving at 9 p.m. They begin at the Post Cemetery, located one-half mile from Fort Mackinac on Garrison Road.

While on the tour, you'll meet nine characters from the past, all based on real people who loved or knew the person buried beneath the headstone. At the Post Cemetery, a costumed Mackinac State Historic Parks interpreter will give a first-person interpretation of a Fort Mackinac solider who speaks of his friend, Judson Rogers, and Rogers' six-year-old son, Leon. In 1887, Judson, a soldier at Fort Mackinac, and his son were returning to Mackinac from Milwaukee on the steamer Champlain when the ship suddenly caught fire and sank. Judson's body was discovered soon after, and five days later little Leon's was found.

"Cemeteries are intriguing because kids, adults and families together can look at the dates and already begin to hear the story of the person buried there," said Katie Cederholm, curator of education for Mackinac State Historic Parks. "In 'Tombstone Tales,' we add live people to it who portray and talk about the people who created Mackinac's history. The program is rich in depth and breadth."

In addition, there are new stories told and new twists and personalities introduced to every "Tombstone Tales" program, so that each program over various years is always new and exciting.

"The historic figures in 'Tombstone Tales' are well researched," Cederholm said. "We have a lot of background information from military records, newspapers, articles and books written about these people."

Prices are $30 for families, $10 for adults, $6 for youth (ages 5-17) and free for youth under 5 and Mackinac Associates members friend level and above. Tickets are available at the Post Cemetery during the event or in advance at Fort Mackinac and the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor's Center.

Mackinac State Historic Parks, a pure Michigan family of living history museums and parks in northern Michigan's Straits of Mackinac, is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Its sites - which are accredited by the American Association of Museums - include Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island State Park and Historic Downtown on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park in Mackinaw City. Mackinac State Historic Parks is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, established in 1895 to protect, preserve and present the parks' rich historic and natural resources for the education and recreation of future generations. Visitor information is available at (231) 436-4100 or on the Web at www.MackinacParks.com.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).