Willow River Cemetery Walk

The St. Croix County Historical Society will present the Willow River Cemetery Walk as part of the annual Yellowstone Trail Heritage Days. The walk is set for Saturday, June 1st from noon to 3:30 p.m. at Willow River Cemetery in Hudson, Wisconsin. Tours take about one hour and will start on the half hour with the last tour starting at 2:30 p.m. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $3 for students (13-18) and children under 12 free with an adult.

Take a guided walking tour through the cemetery to the gravesites of former Hudson residents where costumed actors share the life stories of the “spirits” of Hudson’s past.

The Pearly Gate Singers will perform traditional hymns and guests can stop by the Humbird Chapel to see the progress of the restoration work of the Hudson Vintage Neighborhood Alliance. 

We have a great cast of volunteer actors for the Cemetery Walk that includes:

Tom Gardner is an author/artist/photographer, occasional chef, former English teacher and lives in Eau Claire. Tom will bring to life the spirit of Hans Jacob Andersen, the Danish immigrant founder of what is today the Andersen Window Company.

Jim Blaha, a man of many professions (from farmer to a computer analyst), has long perused theatre, music and art. Jim will lend his talents as one of Hudson’s most widely known and civic-minded men, William H. Phipps, a railroad official, lumberman, state senator and philanthropist.

Laurel Carlson a junior at Baldwin-Woodville High School will be joining our cast of spirits as Miss Anita North. Anita was Hudson’s first millionaire, who had two Hudson homes, a 1917 Cadillac, a chauffeur, and a delightful sense of humor.

Hudson resident Alice Sime is a very active Grandmother of seven, and has been involved in the community for 43 years. Alice will portray Carrie M. Goss, who died in 1936, having lived 101 years.  She was fluent in French, Latin and Greek, in addition to English, and active in Hudson cultural activities including founding the precursor to today’s public library.

Alaina Barthman is a freshman at Hudson High School. She is involved in theater and the SOS Players. Alaina will depict Jennie Humphrey, the artistic wife of Herman L. Humphrey at the site of the unique and prominent Humphrey family monument.

Rikka Bonnell, a Somerset resident and Hudson High Alumni, will portray Jean (Jefferson) Penfield the mother of world renown neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield. Rikka enjoys volunteering with local community theaters in addition to being wife, mother, and working full time as a Help-desk Analyst.

Renee Emerson, former NWA flight attendant, now poet, singer and actor, studying at the Lev Mailer Actor's Studio in Minneapolis, portrays Eliza Page, wife of lumberman Captain John Page.  The first white woman to settle in Hudson, she was a noted Thomsonian medicine practitioner (herbal doctor).