The 20th Annual Historic Springdale Cemetery Tours

Tours start October 4th and 5th at 2:00 and 4:00 pm. They continue the next weekend with a special 5:30 evening program, Friday, October 10th, then the standard Saturday and Sunday programs at 2:00 and 4:00 pm. Folks are encouraged to come early to park and purchase tickets. It is also recommended that the audience bring a folding chair to carry along on the tour. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 8 and up.
This year the tour will focus on the Mt. Auburn area and the line-up includes:
Recent star of the Peoria Players’ production of Memphis, Porsche Delaroche will portray Amanda Costley Lewis, (1834-1900), the daughter of Nance Costley. Costley was the first slave the young lawyer Abraham Lincoln freed in a contentious court battle. Lewis’ husband and brother were there in Galveston, Texas, on Juneteenth to free the last slaves Lincoln emancipated.
Storyteller and author Brian “Fox” Ellis will portray Edgar Foster, (1863-1951), the owner of the Peoria Paper Box Factory, Bradley Alumni and a major fan and funder for the university.
Susan Brown, (1831-1932), will be portrayed by Katy Ailshie. Brown was also a Bradley fan and funder, purchasing the land that become the location of the Mu Delta Chapter House.
Sam Curry, who plays the horn, will portray Lemon Wiley, (1844-1912), a Civil War Veteran who was a musician who lead a world famous band, even playing for the Queen of England.
And Anna Elizabeth Slough (1799-1878) was a Peoria Pioneer who travelled from Pennsylvania to Peoria with her 3 year old son to open a hotel and establish a farm, on her own, before going back to Pennsylvania to get her husband and other children. Mother Slough will be portrayed by Heather Blase one weekend and Amanda Maddalozzo the next .

Category: Community | History