PENDLETON, Ore.- The Quiet Neighbors Historic Olney Cemetery Tour returns for a sixth year October 3.
Organized by Olney Cemetery staff and a volunteer committee, costumed performers will give voice to some of the notable individuals laid to rest at Olney Cemetery during the living history event that has become a Pendleton tradition.
During the tour, visitors follow a guide through the cemetery to meet “neighbors” and hear their stories, including tales of monumental events and strange circumstances, according to the City of Pendleton.
Some of the quiet neighbors, such as Aura Goodwin Raley and Lot Livermore, are connected to Pendleton’s past and the formation of the City.
Other neighbors have colorful stories that shed light on times and practices of the past, and firefighters with Pendleton Fire and Ambulance will share stories of past Pendleton firefighters.
New stories for the sixth year of Quiet Neighbors include a survivor of the Heppner flood and Claire, the wife of Pendleton lawman Til Taylor.
According to the City of Pendleton, the tour will also feature a new scene with four young girls, each portraying a girl buried at Olney Cemetery who died from a different disease: liver disease, scarlet fever, influenza or typhoid fever.
Their stories offer a glimpse into childhood in an era when diseases could claim young lives
Quiet Neighbors: Historic Olney Cemetery Tour is free and no registration is required to attend.
Tours will begin in the memorial garden near the Olney Abbey Mausoleum at 1 p.m., with tours leaving every 20 minutes. The final tour of the day will start at 5 p.m.
Those attending the event should dress for the weather and be prepared to walk approximately one mile.
Olney Cemetery is located at 865 Tutuilla Road, Pendleton.
