TYLER, Texas — When people think about weekend activities, a visit to Oakwood Cemetery in Tyler might not immediately come to mind. However, if someone is intrigued by the history of Tyler and its early residents, Oakwood is worth checking out.
Over the weekend, the Oakwood Cemetery restoration committee hosted their 18th annual tour, known as the "Spirits of Oakwood," which features stops at select grave sites where committee members speak about the individuals buried there.
"Our committee selects individuals that are buried here in Oakwood and people like myself, I considered myself an amateur historian. We stand at the graveside and bring that person alive and tell that person's story," said Rhonda Reagan, Spirits of Oakwood tour coordinator.
Every year the committee selects ten individuals whose stories will be told.
Greg Kirkpatrick has been visiting the tour for 10 years and noted when three young children were struck by lightning and all killed at the same time.
"And they were buried at the same place. You learn a lot about the past and about the people that preceded you here, about how the community grew," Kirkpatrick said.
Oakwood is the oldest cemetery in Tyler, with its oldest marker dating back to 1854.
"There's a lot of history out here. There's over 2,000 marked graves. And so we do it to tell the history. It's not only Tyler's history, it's Smith County, it's Texas, and it's even American history," Reagan said.