NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ–The Elmwood Cemetery walking tour will highlight local heroes’ endeavors whose lives have been disrupted during the Civil War era.

The tour will grant visitors an opportunity to step back into the past on October 10 at 10:00 am, during a walk through the cemetery’s Victorian architectural setting.

Established in 1868, the cemetery is located just across the border between New Brunswick and North Brunswick, where Commercial Avenue ends.

The cemetery preserves 10,000 graves through a Maintenance and Preservation Fund to ensure peaceful resting places to future generations.

Eleanor Molloy, president of the Elmwood Cemetery Association, said the purpose of the tour was to educate residents on local history. 

“The event reveals the identity of war heroes and what they did in response to the war,” Molloy said.

Families who wish to learn about their ancestry often contact the association to conduct an extensive research on their lineage.

Accordingly, investigating the history of local individuals and families, including veterans of the Civil War, is a big part of the association’s mission.

Molloy further explains her interest in history as a mean to understand personal struggles.

“By learning about the past, we learn about ourselves. We share the same hopes and dreams,” she said.

Anna Mortillaro, a senior at Rutgers University, discussed her internship at the cemetery, which enhanced her interest in history and American studies.

“It is a story that keeps growing. It is a constant discovery,” Mortillaro said.

Mortillaro currently serves as a tour guide while assisting in research.  She emphasized the importance for local residents, including Rutgers students, to learn about the area they are living in.

Among those buried in the cemetery, Mortillaro said she appreciated the story of Hugh Hartshorne Janeway, 1842-1865 whose determination and young age resonated with her.

Registration for the tour can be made calling 732-545-1445 or [email protected].