On May 18, beginning at 11 a.m., Dennis Picard, director of Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, will lead the tour of Greenlawn Cemetery - or the East Longmeadow Center Cemetery - which was established in 1828.
Civil War veterans like Edward Burt, of East Longmeadow, were dubbed Union Defenders. A gunshot to the leg killed Burt during the Battle of Spottsylvania in Virginia. Burt is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery. On May 18, beginning at 11 a.m. Dennis Picard, director of Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, will lead a tour at East Longmeadow's Greenlawn Cemetery. The tour will focus on the period of the Civil War. EAST LONGMEADOW - On May 18, beginning at 11 a.m., Dennis Picard, director of Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, will lead a tour at East Longmeadow's Greenlawn Cemetery. The tour will focus on the period of the Civil War.
As part of the national observance of the sesquicentennial of the war, Picard will identify the resting places of East Longmeadow citizens who served in the armed forces during the Civil War and will fill in some of the details of their service.
He will also recount tales of other important "residents" of the graveyard and share his knowledge about the making and carving of various head stones. He will point out other symbolisms found within the Greenlawn Cemetery.
Greenlawn Cemetery - or the East Longmeadow Center Cemetery - was established in 1828 and is located on Callender Avenue. As with many other area cemeteries, it is a time capsule filled with tales of the community's past.
Participants should plan to park their vehicles in the Callendar Avenue area off Somers Road or Pleasant Street.
Sponsored by the East Longmeadow Garden Club in conjunction with the East Longmeadow Historical Commission, the event is free and open to the public.
All participants are also invited to visit East Longmeadow's Historical Museum, located at 87 Maple St., immediately following the cemetery presentation. The museum will be open from 12 noon to 3 p.m., according to Bruce Moore, chairman of the Historical Commission.
Picard has been a museum professional in the field of living history for over 35 years. He began his career at Old Sturbridge Village in 1978, where he eventually spent 12 years. With a background in sociology and museum experience, Picard has authored many articles on the lifestyles and folkways of New England and has also served as a consultant for many historical societies and museums.
He has held the position of assistant director and director at several sites including Fort Number Four in Charlestown, N.H., the Sheffield Historical Society in the Berkshires and, presently, at Storrowton Village.
Tour participants should dress for the prevailing weather conditions that day. For more information, contact Lavada Munoz, (413) 525-3910, or Moore, (413) 525-3072.