champaign county preservation alliance Cemetery tour

By Chelsea Bray - Elle A. Design

​Spooky season is upon us! Our friends over at the Champaign County Preservation Alliance are bringing back their Cemetery Tour at Oak Dale Cemetery. Local historian, John Bry, will be leading the tour that winds through the oldest parts of the cemetery. Oak Dale was established in 1856 on just a mere 25 acres and today sits on 60 acres of land. You never know what is waiting for you to discover or what may be revealed about Champaign County’s history.

​The tour will be held on October 23rd and 24th with four tours each day. The tour takes around 45 minutes and is a walking tour through the natural terrain of the cemetery. Comfortable shoes should be worn and depending on your tour time, you might need to bring a flashlight. Tours will be scheduled at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00 and 8:00pm.
 
Although the tour is in a cemetery, this is a family friendly event. The real history of Champaign County is highlighted as you visit some of Urbana’s past residents’ final resting places. Pets are not permitted to attend. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.ccpapreserveohio.org/cemetery-tour.html or at the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce during their office hours. Adult tickets are $10, children age 6-12 are $5 and children under 6 may attend for free. 

​If you love history, spooky season, and all things hauntingly fun be sure to check this tour out. The CCPA works hard to educate the public about historic preservation and why it is important. They also want to help highlight the county’s unique historical heritage. You can learn more about what they do at https://www.ccpapreserveohio.org/ and can even become a member to help support their cause.