2024 Evergreen Cemetery Walk Public and Private School Registration
The McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Voices Theatre, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery are pleased to announce that the 30th annual Evergreen Cemetery Walk will once again offer BOTH in-person performances and an online video production.

In-person performances for the School Tours for the 2024 Evergreen Cemetery Walk are October 7, 8, 9, and 10 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).  Two tours will be offered on each day (9:30 to 11:00 a.m., and 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.).  Tours are 90 minutes long and students will be able to see all 6 performances.

The Virtual Walk will be available starting November 4.

All students taking part in the 2024 Evergreen Cemetery Walk (whether in-person or virtual) will be able to participate for FREE, thanks to a grant from Normal Township and the support of our sponsors. Additionally, this grant will allow us to offer the Virtual Walk free of charge to older adults living in senior care facilities. Thank you Normal Township and all of our sponsors for helping bring the Cemetery Walk to these audiences this year.
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This is an award-winning educational program for students in grades 6-8, high school, and college presented by the McLean County Museum of History, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, and Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes.

Costumed actors will bring eight people from McLean County's past to life on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. This is an excellent opportunity to teach your students about individuals who have contributed to Central Illinois's rich and colorful history. This program will also help students understand how and why it is important to preserve, protect, and respect cemeteries.

Characters will be portrayed at six different stops during each tour. Pre-visit curriculum guides, character biographies, and photos of characters will be distributed to all booked groups for background information. Due to time constraints, no extra activities will be allowed during the tour. 
Registration for In-person Tours
Reservation deadline is Friday, May 17, 2024.

Due to the high popularity of this program (and limited number of tour times), only one team/class from each school will be given first priority for reservations. Groups from McLean County schools will also be given first choice. We give first priority to 7th and 8th grade groups due to program subject matter. Other grades will be accepted pending space on the second round of reservations. Our goal is to provide the best educational opportunity to the greatest number of students.  

One chaperone for every 10 students is required for EVERY ASSIGNED GROUP NUMBER (extra chaperones are allowed to attend if you feel your group needs them). A maximum of 240 students and chaperones per tour (divided into 6 groups). More than one school may be assigned to each tour so the maximum number of students may participate.

We do our very best to accommodate everyone, but reservations fill up quickly, so please send in your reservations as soon as possible before the deadline.  
2024 Featured Characters

Augustus “Gus” Belt (1895-1954) and Edith Pressler Belt (1896 – 1973) After several failed business ventures in Bloomington, Gus and Edith Belt acquired a Shell Oil station at the corner of Main and Virginia Streets in Normal which they turned into a successful drive-in that served hamburgers and milkshakes. And thus, was born Steak n’ Shake in 1934. What started as a single restaurant grew into a nationwide chain, which Edith continued as chairperson after Gus’ death in 1954. The Belt’s are visiting voices from East Lawn Memorial Cemetery celebrating the 90th anniversary of Steak n’ Shake. Visiting Voice

Angeline Vernon Milner (1856-1928) or Ange (as she was known to most), is one of Illinois’ most famous librarians. Milner became Illinois State (Normal) University’s first full time librarian in 1890, serving nearly 40 years. Her passion for library science drew national attention and shaped the curriculum of the university. Milner was a founding member of the Illinois branch of the American Library Association and instituted the idea of teaching college students how to use library resources in their studies, a practice she outlined for other teachers’ colleges to follow. Fan Favorite

Georgina Trotter (1836-1904) and Sarah Raymond Fitzwilliam (1842 – 1918) Bloomington businesswoman, Georgina Trotter, was the first woman elected to the Bloomington Board of Education in 1874. She served alongside her close friend Sarah Raymond Fitzwilliam, who became the first female superintendent of Bloomington Public Schools that same year. These women had an uphill battle to prove they were worthy of these positions. Together, they worked side-by-by side to improve the quality of education students received in Bloomington Public Schools and to improve the lives of others in the community.

June Crandall (1878-1910) a Kentucky native, came to Bloomington in 1898 and began working as a miner at the McLean County Coal Company on the west side of town. He was one of the early labor union and Socialist party leaders in Bloomington, being deeply concerned about the exploitation of the American working class. Crandall fought hard on various platforms, including politics, to improve the quality of life for his fellow workers and their families.

Julius Witherspoon (1859-1906) relocated to Bloomington from Arkansas at the age of 24. He worked for the Bloomington Police for eight years before enlisting in the military in 1898. Witherspoon was made captain of his regiment, Company G of the Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was the only regiment of Black troops officered entirely by Black men. His unit was stationed in Cuba for garrison duty for the duration of the Spanish-American War. After returning to Bloomington, Witherspoon worked as a liveryman. But poor health (due to the war) cut his life short, and he passed away in 1906. Fan Favorite

Eva Jones (1930-1987) was a woman who never turned away from challenging situations or tough decisions. She was the first Black individual to be elected to the Bloomington District 87 Board of Education (1971) and Bloomington City Council (1979). She brought a new voice to the mix during a period of increased racial tensions and provided much-needed representation for the Black community. Jones’ influence permeated throughout the community because of her work with the local YWCA, League of Women Voters, and the United Way.

Name (Educator) *
School and Team *
Grade *
Number of Students *
School Address *
City/State *
Zip Code *
Email address *
Phone Number *
Our students have special needs requiring extra tolerance and understanding by the tour guides.
IN PERSON PERFORMANCE 9:30-11:00 a.m. (check all that apply)
IN PERSON PERFORMANCE 11:45 a.m. -1:15 p.m. (check all that apply)
My class wishes to engage in the Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk ONLY
Clear selection
Photographs or Video of my students may be taken at the event.* *Photographs and video may be used on the Museum’s website, social media accounts, or for other promotion of the Museum’s educational programs (please select one). *
I want playbills for each of my students, which are distributed to teachers at the event (please select one). *
Cancelation Fee
A $50 cancellation fee will be accessed to any group that cancels less than one week in advance of their scheduled attendance at the Evergreen Cemetery Walk or who fail to show up for their scheduled performance.
Questions?
Please email Candace Summers, Senior Director of Education at the McLean County Museum of History, at csummers@mchistory.org.


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