Tales Tombstones Tell 2025 - Introduction
36th Annual Tales Tombstones Tell Self - Guided Tour
Step back in time with us for the 36th annual Tales Tombstones Tell — a beloved community tradition that brings local history to life, one gravestone at a time.
Each video in this series features a stop from our Oakwood Cemetery walk, sharing the stories of the people, families, and events that helped shape our town’s past. Whether you’re exploring for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, these tales reveal the humanity, humor, and heart found among the stones.
The West Chicago City Museum proudly presents the 36th annual Tales Tombstones Tell — a beloved community tradition that brings local history to life among the stones of Oakwood Cemetery, the city’s oldest resting place.
Interpreted by: Carol
Tonight, the City Museum is excited to present the 36th Annual Tales Tombstones Tell.
We’re always proud to continue the community tradition of sharing the stories of the people and events that shaped West Chicago’s past.
The City Museum first created this program in 1990 to bring the rich history of our community to life through the varied life stories of all the people who are buried here.
These experiences echo the stories of many families across our country and our world.
This evening’s program features individuals who left their mark on West Chicago.
If you’ve ever wondered how the streets were named or why landmarks carry certain names — you’re in luck tonight. We’ll share the stories of those people whose names still appear on our mapping apps today, using technology unimaginable to those who rest here.
These stories reflect the full scope of our community’s history and the land we stand on — showing how the past has shaped the way West Chicago looks and sounds today.
This land also carries an Indigenous history — one the City Museum is committed to telling better.
We acknowledge that these were the ancestral homelands of the Kickapoo, Peoria, Saskia, Potawatomi, Miami, Ho-Chunk, Winnebago, and Sioux Peoples.
Tonight you’ll hear this community referred to as Junction, Turner, and Turner Junction.
Originally known simply as Junction in 1849, the town was formally incorporated under that name in 1873 — though it was often called Turner Junction.
In 1896, the name was officially changed to West Chicago.
You’ll hear these names used interchangeably this evening, along with more about Turner himself.
This ground — Oakwood Cemetery — embodies much of our town’s early history.
Founded in 1858, just nine years after the railroad came, Oakwood is West Chicago’s oldest cemetery and represents the foundation of our community.
Its ties extend to other cemeteries locally and throughout the world — from our ancestors to our descendants.
While today we deeply value Oakwood’s history, it has not always been well kept.
There were times when cows grazed here, when grave markers were vandalized, stolen, weathered, or broken.
But time and again, citizens came together to restore and care for the cemetery — even when few families remained to maintain the graves themselves.
You can learn more about Oakwood and those interred here at the West Chicago City Museum.
The museum’s downtown collection includes genealogical records, and our staff are happy to assist with research requests.
If your guide cannot answer a question tonight, please contact the museum directly — our phone number and email are listed on the program you’ll receive at the end of the tour.
Now, we invite you to walk the lighted path and follow the lanterns.
Please move carefully among the tombstones and enjoy the stories being shared at each stop.
Thank you very much, and have a wonderful evening.
