Characters from Rockville’s past come to life this month in a nighttime tour of the city’s oldest cemetery and a discussion of slavery and the Underground Railroad in Rockville.
Tours of historic Rockville Cemetery, presented by Peerless Rockville and the Rockville Cemetery Association, depart at 7 and 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. The tours will feature costumed actors portraying Rockville-area residents from the 1790s to the 1910s. Cost is $15 for Peerless members; $20 for nonmembers. To register, call 301-762-0096 or visit https://goo.gl/ozMUoY.
Peerless presents “In Their Steps,” which will examine the life and times of Josiah Henson, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., in Rockville Town Square. Henson, a Rockville native and the inspiration for the title character in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Tony Cohen, of the Menare Foundation, will present an illustrated history of the city’s stops on the Underground Railroad. Learn about Henson’s life, and those of other local freedom fighters, such as Ann Maria Weems, who fled slavery in Rockville disguised as a boy. Hear the story of two sisters from a prominent Rockville family who were divided on the issue of slavery and exemplified the divisions that ignited the Civil War. Admission is free.