The dead return to downtown the next two Fridays, but this ain’t no zombie march (though somebody is going to get his ass, er shoulder, capped).
Elmwood Cemetery is bringing a car-full of its most colorful residents for a presentation in Court Square. It’s part of the Center City Commission’s Downtown Alive series, from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
On Friday, May 29th, official MPD bagpiper Mark Henderson will be setting the mood as the period-dressed grave-warmers take the square. Among them: a 1930s widow and accused husband-killer; the man who drove the train right before Casey Jones “went and wrecked” it; and a women who cuckolded her husband with Civil War general Earl Van Dorn.
At the June 5th event, violence will erupt during a reenactment of an 1869 duel between Tom Dickens and Wade Bolton (the guy the high school was named after).
Elmwood held a similar presentation in Court Square last year. According to education coordinator Linley Schmidt, there were a few odd looks at first, probably because of their costumes. “When they realized we weren’t going to ask them for any money, they enjoyed it.”
Pictured is reenactor Vincent Astor as Wade Bolton.