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09/12/2019 12:01 AMMaking Essex history come alive at River View Cemetery is the goal of several upcoming Essex Historical Society (EHS) walking tour programs, which will include new tours of the cemetery on Friday through Sunday, Sept. 13 through 15 at the cemetery, 41 North Main Street, Essex.
Guides will lead tours of the cemetery’s oldest sections, tracing its history for more than 300 years. The tours are funded through a grant from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County.
The tours will take place Friday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m.; and Sunday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m.
Located on the shores of the Connecticut River, River View Cemetery testifies to the early history of Potapaug, as Essex was once known, with the oldest gravestones dating from the early 1700s.
The tour will include stories about the cemetery’s residents, including the town’s influential first pastor, a traitorous sea captain, and an enterprising mother/daughter team, along with stories about many others.
Participants also will learn about changes in gravestone art, from grimacing death’s-heads to ornate obelisks. The history of the cemetery will be traced from the time it was a simple burial yard to the current day, when it is a park-like setting, especially during the twilight tours.
The tour lasts about an hour over uneven, sloped, grassy terrain for about half a mile. Participants should wear proper footwear and possibly bring a flashlight for the twilight tours. While this tour is based on historical facts and is not intended to be haunted, historical details about death and disease may disturb young walkers. Meet at the base of the cemetery’s driveway.
Each tour is $5 per person, and is free to EHS members.
More information is available at www.essexhistory.org or by calling 860-767-0681. Limited parking is available in the cemetery or along North Main Street. In case of inclement weather, updated information will appear under the Events tab on EHS’s website and Facebook page. New guides are welcome to learn the tour. No experience is necessary and all training is provided.