This year’s annual Wright City Cemetery Walk will feature the stories of five individuals, including one of the town’s pioneer citizens, a prominent businessman and banker and a woman who reported the Wright City news for the local newspaper in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

The free program begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, and all are invited to attend. The program is sponsored by the Wright City Cemetery Memorial Society.

Costumed volunteers will bring to life the stories of the following individuals who once made their home in the Wright City community.

• John V. Hayes, a surveyor for the railroad, who came to Warren County in the 1850’s and was employed by Dr. Wright to survey and lay out the new town he was planning in eastern Warren County. Mr. Hayes ended up making Wright City his home, went on to study law and opened a successful legal practice in the new town.
• Emil Diekroeger, one of the town’s leading businessmen and a civic leader. He and his brother donated to the city the land on which Diekroeger Park is situated.
• Betty Gadberry Crane, a wife and mother, who was a leader in the Wright City chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.
• Wilhelmine Schulze Strassemeier, a farmer’s wife, who tragically lost two of her five young children in a pair of freak accidents within the span of less than a week.
• Anna Sharp, the Wright City correspondent for the Warrenton Banner for almost 10 years. She will share with visitors all the news happening in Wright City a century ago.

Handicapped parking will be available in the cemetery. Those who are comfortably able to walk are encouraged to park in the adjoining parking lot of Immanuel United Church of Christ.