Graceland Cemetery Walking Tour with Author Adam Selzer

Historically, most of the biggest monuments in American cemeteries have been built by brewers, lumber merchants, steel barons, and real estate moguls. But there are far more stories at Graceland than just those movers and shakers. Some of those industrialists and politicians had daughters who set the city on fire with their scandalous novels, or wives who were attacked as "intolerant abolitionists" by anti-Lincoln newspapers. Chicago's historica Graceland is home to underground railroad workers, people who escaped slavery, members of the early LGBTQ community, artists, flappers, radicals, criminals, faded prima donnas, and many more. Some of the most incredible stories are in unmarked graves, and new mysteries are uncovered all the time!

Adam Selzer is the author of Mysterious Chicago, HH: Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil, and many other Chicago history books, and the brand new book out now from University of Illinois Press (you can buy a copy to be delivered at the tour by selecting the "ticket + book" ticket!) His virtual tours continue to log thousands of viewers per week.

Each tour is a little different (and the construction on the main gate means we'll be seeing spots we normally don't!).  Join us for a 75-90 minute walk through American history!

Praise for Adam's Graceland Cemetery 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

For a lot more of Adam's work, try out . Patrons get 10% off on most tour tickets, so it pays for itself!

What You Need to Know:

- Meet a bit before 1pm just inside the gates. You'll see Adam with his headset mic. NOTE: the usual gate at Clark/Irving will be closed. We will use the newly-renovated north gate, located at 4265 N. Clark. Make sure any friends coming to meet you are aware of this!

- Due to construction around the main gates parking is not available in the cemetery. However, there's free street parking on both Montrose and Clark, and it's usually easy to find a spot on Clark or in the nearby neighborhoods. (We're picking days with no Cubs games until contstruction is done!)

- The construction also blocks off the bathroom access, so go before ya come!

- Tour runs rain or shine!

- The cemetery is near the red line, the 22 Clark bus, and the Irving Park bus.

- The walk covers about 1.5 miles over the course of 75-90 min. Some of the walking veers off the paved paths. You'll get about 3k steps!

Host or Publisher Mysterious Chicago