St. James Historic Graveyard Tours

The third season for these fascinating historic graveyard tours is open! Tours are given on Saturdays through November 2. Parishioners and professional narrators conduct tour of St. James' churchyard collaboratively, with special emphasis on interred persons of note. All new historical characters are on hand for 2013! Featured characters this year include a suffragette, a professional baseball player, a lieutenant who died at the Battle of Gettysburg, and Franklin Roosevelt' father.

Guests will be led by lantern light though the celebrated churchyard, as actors play the parts of the residents, providing entertainment, education, and insights into the life and death of the Hudson Valley's past residents. Tours last approximately one hour and are held, rain or shine, every half hour starting at 7pm, with the last tour at 8:30pm. Bring umbrellas in case of rain. Food will be available for purchase!

Six new historical characters will step out from behind their headstones to entertain you. Meet Art "Rube" DeGroff, Hyde Park's own major league baseball player, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals - for all of 16 days! Listen to Augustus T. Cowman talk about the building of the second St. James' Church here in 1846, and find out what happened to the first one. Learn how wealth and privilege could buy men substitutes to fight for them in the Civil War: one here did, and one here didn't and died in the Battle of Gettysburg. Come hear all of their stories!

Every Saturday night tours are offered through November 3, beginning at 7pm. Please wear clothing and shoes appropriate to the weather. This is a walking tour with limited lighting conducted off-path through a 200-yr. old churchyard. Unfortunately, it's not appropriate for wheelchairs, strollers, or walkers. On Saturday, October 5, at 6:30pm there is a Special Tour designated for those individuals with limited mobility.

Tickets are $15, and children under 12 are admitted free (suitable for those 10 and up). All major credit cards are accepted. Order soon; all 2012 tours sold out quickly. To purchase tickets, visit www.stjameshistoricgraveyardtours.com. Historic St. James' Episcopal Church is located at 4526 Albany Post Road/Route 9 in Hyde Park. All proceeds go to maintaining this historic property. Call (845) 229-2820 for other questions. Click here to download the flyer. Come join us this fall!

By Dutchess Tourism