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Don Estes' Top of the Morning article
Good ole fall weather is coming soon. That means it is time to get your tickets for some more night fun at the Natchez City Cemetery.
The Friends of the Natchez City Cemetery is presenting the seventh annual “Angels On The Bluff” evening tour on November 3 and 4. That’s Friday and Saturday evenings only. Start times will be every 15 minutes from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
Parking at the cemetery is unavailable, so you must park at the Natchez Visitors Center about 30 minutes before your chosen start time in order to board a free shuttle to the cemetery.
To order your tickets for your chosen start time, call the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau at 601-446-6345 or 1-800-647-6724. Tickets are $15 each for persons aged 12 or older. Group rates are available for groups of 25 or more.
There will be no indoor performances. There are also no refunds if we are rained out.
This year’s venues are again all new stories designed to educate and entertain you.
Many of you may even remember some of our featured characters. We begin near the Turning Angel by presenting an exciting new discovery, Cora Lee Wirz Perrin. She was the only child of Captain Henry Wirz, the Confederate commander at Andersonville Prison. Her story will amaze you. Next you will be shocked to see Martha Bahin Hootsell dancing “Audubon” for the first, and last time. Crissie’s story will be told by her husband and by her best friend, Ruth Audley Beltzhoover. Was Crissie born a slave, or not?
Have you ever heard the riverboat calliope from the cemetery – at night? Captain T. P. Leathers will bring his favorite music to you. Estelle Schwartz Carson’s story features a concert pianist, a Confederate major and the Kentucky Derby. William Storrow Lovell is General John Quitman’s son-in-law, and served in the U. S. and C. S. navies? Major Isaac Guion is a Revolutionary War veteran who raised the American flag over Ft. Rosalie to claim the Natchez District from Spain on March 30, 1798. Only Sam Jones can tell you this story.
Finally ole Bill Fulton will tell you why he was called the greatest scout in the Army of Northern Virginia. Rusty Jenkins fits that mold, and he will be surprised, with you, by a most unexpected special guest. Confederate music will be flowing, of course.
Can Rusty sing?
Secure your valuables, because we just cannot stop those roaming “gypsies” out here after dark. Of course special lighting effects and music will be all around to make you feel more comfortable in the darkness of a cemetery.
Your route this year is about the same 1400 paces, and will carry you by Zurhellen I and II, as well as Plots II and III.
When you return by shuttle to the Natchez Visitors Center we will have a variety of Natchez City Cemetery items for sale. Our “Turning Angel” t-shirts that glow in the dark are $16.95 for adults and $9.95 in youth sizes. We will also have cemetery booklets and videos for sale.
Many volunteers are already hard at work to bring you another great “Angels On The Bluff”, so get your tickets for your chosen time and be ready to have lots of fun learning more about your cemetery and your town.
Donald Estes
“Angels On The Bluff” Chairman
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