Stories from the grave

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Visitors to the Historic Topeka Cemetery will have the chance to hear stories about some of Topeka’s lesser-known heroes during the “From the Grave” event this Memorial Day Weekend.

Storytellers stationed around the cemetery each have a unique piece of Topeka history to share, ranging from fallen heros to the nurses that aided them.

Andrea Etzel is a volunteer for the Friends of the Topeka Historic Cemetery and spoke to 13 News about her storytelling station. Her station is focused on Blanche Kimball, a World War II nurse from Topeka who survived several years of internment. She was later freed and decided to return home to Topeka.

Etzel describes Kimball’s experience as one of the few examples of women being held as prisoners of war.

Also present is the Overton family, whose own history is deeply intertwined with Topeka’s. They display a number of artifacts from their ancestors, many of which date back over 100 years.

Betty Long and her siblings visited the cemetery Saturday afternoon to maintain the graves of loved ones. Long’s family has a long history of military service, she shared a snippet of their history:

" We had ancestors that were here as early as 1602,” she said. “We have a lot of American history here, and I’m proud of every one of them.”

Stories from the Grave will resume Monday May 29 at 10 a.m. in the Historic Topeka Cemetery located at 1601 SE 10th Ave.

Further information about the cemetery itself and this event can be found on online or on Facebook.