Seek and ye shall find
virtual & physical links to the past ...
 






Local Historic Cemetery Tours

 

Encounter old and new friends during a fascinating informative wander through Newburyport's historic cemeteries. Your gracious and knowledgeable tour guide will be Ghlee Woodworth ~ a 12th generation Newburyport native and daughter of Newburyport's beloved local historian Todd Woodworth. Ghlee continues her father's legendary "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones" tours of Newburyport's Oak Hill Cemetery ~ having since expanded her research & horizons to include a "cemetery crawl" of Old Hill Burying Ground and St. Anne's Chapel as well as New Hill Burial Ground (AKA Highland Cemetery) ~ and a special tour which brings the history of African-Americans in Newburyport into focus.

Schedule (and newsworthy notes) for 2009 - 2010

Current Schedule

Check this webpage along with the (virtual) Wolfe Tavern message board (thread at this link without) for current tidings about "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones" tours and such.

Greatly anticipated at this point in time! Hope springs eternal that Ghlee's "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones" tours of local cemeteries ~ coordinated during the Newburyport Literary Fair ~ will have fair weather throughout that last weekend in April. Check back for more specifics about the "walks and talks" throughout that weekend and as the seasonal schedule is confirmed.

Of course, as well as joining in on these onsite tours ~ self-guided tours can be enjoyed at your leisure with the insight of Ghlee's reference book in hand (and in mind). For more about the recent award-winning first volume of "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones" please refer to the weblinks that follow below.

Duly noting that news of Ghlee Woodworth's first published work, "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones, Oak Hill Cemetery, Vol. 1" (link without) ~ along with its author, the book appears to be making a fair amount of history in its own right ~ recorded and reported by the local daily and weekly papers as such:

  • Article published in the Newburyport Current on January 22, 2010, byline Barbara Taormina: "New local book picks up three awards" (link without)
  • Photo gallery published in the Newburyport Current on January 22, 2010: "Tiptoe through the Tombstones" (link without)
  • Column published in the Newburyport Current on December 11, 2009, byline Ghlee Woodworth: "Making Peace with the Corps" (link without)
  • Article published by the Newburyport Daily News on July 27, 2009, byline Katie Farrell: "Walking tour looks at local black history" (link without)
  • Article published by the Newburyport Current on July 24, 2009, byline Micelle Bradbury: "Yankee Homecoming dead ahead" (link without)
  • Article published by the Newburyport Daily News on July 23, 2009, byline Victor Tine: "Tiptoe through history: Port cemetery book makes lively reading" (link without)

Past Schedule through 2009

Month of July, 2009

During Yankee Homecoming, tours of all these historic cemeteries were offered weekdays
~ Monday, July 27 through Friday, July 31. Check the YankeeHomecoming.com webpage at this link without for details. In addition to historic cemetery tours held during Yankee Homecoming ~ throughout the month of July, Ghlee Woodworth held a series of talks (and walks) to preview her forthcoming book, "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones, Oak Hill Cemetery, Vol. 1."

Month of August, 2009

Proofed, bound and delivered! The first publication is Ghlee's tome uses a novel approach to learn about Newburyport's preeminent cemetery and the living who now make that necropolis their final resting place. Come to learn more about
"Tiptoe Through the Tombstones, Oak Hill Cemetery, Vol. 1" at this link without. Better yet, come to meet the author at the following local book signings:

Book signing and celebration:

  • Saturday, August 8, from 2PM to 4PM at People's Methodist Church (located on Purchase Street, between Bromfield and Marlboro Streets)

Book signings at Oak Hill Cemetery Brown Chapel (at main entrance State and Brown Streets):

  • Wednesday and Thursday evenings, 6PM to 7:30PM
  • Friday mornings, 11AM to 1PM
  • Saturday, August 22 and 29, 9AM to 11AM
  • Sunday, August 9, 16, 23, 30, 9AM to 11AM


Month of September, 2009

The Virtual Wolfe Tavern topic forum attempts to keep current of upcoming "Tiptoe Through Tombstones" cemetery tours at the topic thread found at this link without. The latest post links to the notice in the daily's "Lookout" published September 3, 2009 (link without) concerning Ghlee's schedule for the month of September.

Note all tours last for approximately 90 minutes; while admission is free, donations to support cemetery projects will be accepted. At the end of each tour, Woodworth will have copies of her newly released "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones, Oak Hill Cemetery, Volume I" available (link without). The book, which sells for $35, highlights many of the notables buried in the Newburyport cemetery. For more on the tours or the book, call Woodworth at 978-462-2010.

Tours at Oak Hill Cemetery (meet at Brown Chapel, main entrance, State and Brown Streets):

  • Saturday, September 5, 19, and 26 at 10AM
  • Sunday, September 20 and 27 at 10AM

Tours at Old Hill Burying Ground (meet at Greenleaf Street entrance):

  • Sunday, September 6 at 10AM
  • Saturday, September 19, and 26 at 2PM

Walking tour highlights African-Americans in 19th Century Newburyport (meet at Brown Square across from Newburyport City Hall on Pleasant and Green street):

  • Sunday, September 13 at 10AM
  • Saturday, September 19, and 26 at 2PM

(Holiday) Schedule (December 2009)

Join Ghlee Woodworth at the Brown Chapel at Oak Hill Cemetery, Brown and State Streets, on Sundays, December 13th and 20th from 10:00AM to Noon ~ where and when she will be doing book signings for her spellbinding book, "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones, Oak Hill Cemetery, Volume I."


 

 

Note that Ghlee also arranges seasonal excursions to "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones" of Newburyport's historic burial grounds ~ with special accommodations for groups and organizations. Check back for an updated schedule or email inquiries to tiptoethroughthetombstones@yahoo.com.

Further note that Ghlee is presently working on a book about Oak Hill Cemetery for publication and distribution to coincide with this year's Yankee Homecoming festival. Learn more about Ghlee's endeavors (as reported in the May 7, 2008 edition of the Newburyport Daily News) at this link without.

 


 

 
 
 
Site Design by Bright iDear   Copyright © 2002-2014 All Rights Reserved
Website: www.BrightiDear.com  Email: Bright-iDear@comcast.net