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Each November, guides conduct walking tours of the cemetery where stories are told about the history of various people buried here.
During the tour, descendant commentaries are given while dressed in period costumes. Several are accompanied with musical tributes.
2004 Schedule
The 2004 Angels on the Bluff tour is scheduled for Saturday & Sunday, November 6th and 7th, beginning at 5:30 p.m. and continuing until 8:00 p.m. with groups of 40 beginning the tour every 10 minutes.
Price of the tour is $12 per person, but group purchases of 25 or more cost $10 per person. Children under 12 are admitted free. It is recommended that tickets be purchased in advance, as space is limited, and tickets are usually sold out weeks prior to the event.
Tickets go on sale in August at the:
Natchez Visitor Reception Center
640 Canal Street, Natchez, MS 39120
Tel. 601-446-6345 or 1-800-647-6724
There is no public parking at the cemetery so we provide free shuttle transportation from the Natchez Visitors Center to the cemetery. The first shuttle leaves the visitor center at 5:00 p.m. with additional shuttles leaving ever 10-15 minutes thereafter.
Tour-goers should park their vehicles at the Natchez Visitors Reception Center by the Mississippi River Bridge and take the free shuttle transportation to the cemetery at least 30 minutes before the planned tour time.
Small flashlights are welcome.
This Years Performances
Some of the individuals that will be featured this year include:
Confederate Brigadier General Zeb York who was the last commander of the Louisiana Tigers whose reputation for fearless fighting on the battlefield were both deserved and well documented.
J.N. Carpenter who served as a private in the Confederate Army and after the War became a self made millionaire. He entered the cotton brokerage business, and along with some other men, established the Natchez Textile Mill.
Count Gasmir den Bouski who was in the Polish Court from the Vatican and who was traveling up the Mississippi River by steamboat and died in rout to be married. When the steamboat arrived in Natchez his body was taken and buried here.
Fermin Cerveau, also known as “Savannas Artist”. His daughter married a Confederate soldier who served with Cerveau and the couple moved to Natchez. He had a exhibit in the 1894 Chicago World's Fair.
Bishop John Edward Gunn who served as Catholic Bishop for the Natchez-Jackson Diocese and died in 1924. He was very personable and highly respected in the Natchez community.
Ellen Shields who documented Yankee atrocities during a raid on her fathers home Montebello.
Candlelight Tour
Visitors on the candlelight evening tour, assisted by over 20 tour guides, will be spellbound by each step they take into the past-come-alive and intrigued by each soul with its historic tale to tell.
Natchez City Cemetery Director Don Estes explained; “Those on the evening tours are transported with the sounds of bagpipes, trumpets, drums and vocals staged throughout the tour, candlelight throughout the cemetery and light in the distance. The atmosphere for the tour is an unbelievable experience.”
As co-chair for the event since its inception, Estes reflects, “We started this event as a joint creative idea. We knew other historic cemeteries that offered something similar and knew Natchez would be a perfect setting for such an event. We’ve had perfect weather, cold weather, rainy weather, but we always hope for perfect weather.”
Also co-chairing Angels on the Bluff from its beginning is Bee Byrnes, who not only spends untold hours researching each year’s characters but also compiles the information and writes the scripts, virtually a year-round job. “We travel into the far reaches of the cemetery, providing captivating insights into Natchez history,” Byrnes explained. “The depth of research is an adventure within itself, and we get so excited discovering the unique past of various individuals from our community. We know that our visitors will love learning about those individuals just as we do.”
Tour organizers Don Estes and Bee Byrnes join their troupe of talented actors in inviting you to join them and their spirited counterparts for an evening of historical enrichment and intriguing entertainment.
With its yearly changes of venue and repertoire, why not make Angels on the Bluff your annual, traditional pre-holiday event! |
