Graceland Cemetery Walking Tour: 4th of July Weekend w/ author Adam Selzer
About this Event
Like all cemeteries, Graceland is home to heroes and villains, and everything in between. The "diamond queen" who marched with Susan B. Anthony and now lies in an anonymous grave. The only confirmed Revolutionary soldier in the City Limits. Underground Railroad workers. Black Civil War vets. Politicians who fought for what was right - and quite a few who fought for what was wrong. Those of us who joined "whistle patrols" may not feel like there's much to celebrate this year, but the ideals of this nation are worth saving. In this tour, we'll highlight people who knew that - and fought to help America live up to a promise it's never quite fulfilled. (And if you feel like complaining that it isn't patriotic enough, the tour guide is willing to do a bit of "Ice Ice Baby," which seems to be the style this year).
Tour guide Adam Selzer is the author Graceland Cemetery: Chicago Stories, Symbols and Secrets (University of IL Press, 2022) , and The Smart Aleck's Guide to American History (Random House 2009) as well as Graveyards of Trinity Church and St. Paul’s (Arcadia 2025), HH Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil (S&S 2016) and the brand new Chicago’s Serial Husband: The Marriages and Murders of Johann Hoch (Arcadia 2025). He is a regular talking head on the History Channel, the Travel Channel, and PBS. He has been a tour guide and historian in Chicago and New York for over 20 years, and hosts the popular Mysterious Chicago livestreams. He is now finishing work on volume two of the Graceland book, which will be released this fall, as well as a project called ...And Find Out: A Disrespectful Look at the Confederacy.
Praise for Adam's Graceland Book:
"Tantalizing... A prolific and stylish writer, tireless tour guide, and passionate researcher." - Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
"A truth-seeking research glutton....(the book is) an adept melding of the tours, the research, and the writing." - Chicago Reader
"Emblematic of...hipster tour guides. Selzer goes beyond mere trivia. He turns up fascinating individual stories of cemetery residents without leaning too heavily on the big names." - Third Coast Reviews
What You Need to Know:
- Meet a bit before the start time inside the gates. We'll be at the newly renovated main entrance at Clark and Irving Park! Look for Adam with the white glasses and headset mic.
- There is parking in the cemetery.
- -Tour runs rain or shine!
- Be aware that there is a Cubs game in the afternoon nearby, which may impact traffic (or street parking).
- The cemetery is near the red line L train (get off at Sheridan or Addison and it's a few blocks), the 22 Clark bus, and the Irving Park bus.
- The walk covers about 1.5 miles over the course of around 90 min. Some of the walking veers off the paved paths. You'll get about 3k steps!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 24.25
