The Long Beach Historical Society celebrated the 30th year of its annual tour of the Municipal and Sunnyside cemeteries.
Traditionally, the tour takes place on the last Saturday of October. This year marks the first time the dates have aligned to have the tour take place on the morning of Halloween.
“It’s amazing that everyone came out this year, even if there might be rain,” Pat Alviso, a third-time returning attendee, said.
The tour is currently organized by Long Beach Historical Society Executive Director Julie Bartolotto. The tour was originally started by former president Barbara Barnes, who has since passed away.
This year’s tour included live actor performances by volunteers from the Long Beach Playhouse.
The performances were organized and scripted by Roxanne Patmor, president of the Long Beach Playhouse board of executives, who also volunteers her time at the Long Beach Historical Society.
Multiple attractions and booths explored the history of local Long Beach run organizations such as the Long Beach Water Department, as well as the histories of different minorities throughout the city.
The graves at Sunnyside Cemetery during the Historical Society of Long Beach’s 30th Annual Historical Cemetery Tour on Oct. 31. Attendees were welcomed to tour the graves during the event. (Sophia King)
The integration of cultures throughout the tour highlights the longstanding diversity within the Long Beach community, dispelling the myth that Municipal and Sunnyside cemeteries are segregated.
Part of this advocacy included a booth by the African American Cultural Center, which featured choir performances from the St. Mark Baptist Church. The booth also shared the history of the Long Beach Colored Community Chorus, who were buried in the cemetery.
“We’re in a climate where people don’t want to hear our history, so doing things like this is very important,” Exhibit organizer and historian with the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach Sharon-Diggs Jackson said.
Alongside the historical exhibits, the tour also featured attractions showcasing death related ceremonies from different cultures, including an ofrenda for Dia de Los Muertos and Tung Rolok, a Cambodian flag memorial.
“People used to criticize us for the ofrenda, you know, because they saw it as voodoo or ungodly, but we knew it was to honor our ancestors,” participant Danny Flores said, in reference to his and Theresa Mirales’ ofrenda booth.
A fan favorite story from the tour was of Bessie McKenzie Baxter, a deaf bride who got hit by a train on her way home. She was buried in Sunnyside Cemetery on the day she was supposed to be married.
The annual tour is part of the historical society’s mission to collect, preserve and present local history. First time attendees were encouraged to bring a chair to be able to sit, learn and enjoy Long Beach’s fruitful history.
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