The idea was also to make the cemetery a gathering spot where families would walk, ride a horse, or take a horse carriage out to see their deceased loved ones and have a picnic, bring their guitar to play music, and sing. In 1859, Fort Dodge hired Egbert Bagg of New York to design a new cemetery. He found a piece of land north of town with hills and lots of oak trees that would provide shade. That is when the Oakland Cemetery was established.

“With all of that history in mind, this year’s cemetery walk has a new twist,” said Rick Carle, volunteer and long-time board member for the Friends of Oakland Cemetery. “In the past years we had a stroll through the cemetery on Friday night with tour guides giving people a brief history about the people buried, then on Sunday we would have life portrayals tell their stories, usually at the Bioscience Center at Iowa Central or Friendship Haven. This year we are going to combine both days into one, all at Oakland Cemetery.”

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 21 there will be a historic stroll through the cemetery. A guide will take guests to 27 headstones, but there will be four of them where a live person will stand by a headstone and tell the story of the person buried there.

The tours will be at 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Guests can park at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1436 21st Ave. N. A DART bus will bring guests to the cemetery and back to their vehicles. The first bus will leave for Oakland Cemetery at 12:45 p.m. No parking is allowed at Oakland Cemetery.

Annette Mackay is seen at a previous Oakland Cemetery Walk.

“To continue with the theme from the 1800s we are going to have Jeremy Ober performing from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. There will be seating, refreshments, and porta potties available,” said Carle.

The Oakland Cemetery Walk is a freewill offering event and everyone is welcome.

“You can come and listen to Jeremy Ober perform, take the tour and learn about the history of Fort Dodge. If you don’t want to take the tour, you are still welcome to come and enjoy the music,” said Carle.

There will also be horse drawn carriage rides through the cemetery from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The carriage ride will cost $5 per person. Kids 12 and under can ride free.

Carle grew up in Nebraska, and when he moved to Fort Dodge to attend Iowa Central Community College in 1973, he never dreamed that someday he would be the commissioner of the Friends of Oakland Cemetery.

“As commissioner I want to continue Jerry and Marva Rowe’s legacy to teach and inform people about our forefathers, their wives and children buried in Oakland Cemetery,” he said.

Buried at the Oakland Cemetery includes the first schoolteacher, the first doctor, a French movie star, a United States senator, a governor of Iowa, and around 200 Civil War soldiers.

The Friends of Oakland Cemetery also want to continue Jerry Rowe’s dream of every Civil War soldier having a headstone. The late Fort Dodge man used to gather information about each soldier and send the information out to Washington, D.C., and several months later he would receive a white headstone for the soldier.

“For the proceeds of this year’s walk and future walks the Friends of Oakland Cemetery will continue Jerry’s dream and purchase headstones for the Civil War soldiers,” said Carle. “Each headstone cost between $350-$500 so it may take several years to get every soldier their headstone.”

The Friends of Oakland Cemetery invites the community to listen to some great music, have refreshments, take the tour, and a horse-drawn carriage ride from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The rain date will be Sunday, June 22.

Carle thanked the Ann Smeltzer Charitable Trust for its support.

“Without their continued support the walks would not be possible,.” he said.

He thanked the city of Fort Dodge Public Areas Department, the DART bus, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Party Productions and Dan Garst, Jeremey Ober, the Friends of Oakland Cemetery Board, The Messenger, Three Eagles Radio, Dean Weirs Carriage Rides, and the citizens of Fort Dodge.