GLASGOW — Local historical figures will come to life this weekend as actors portray them during the Harvest of History cemetery tour.

The event is a fundraiser for the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center. This is the second year the museum has hosted the event.

“Last year we sold 280 tickets and we believe it was well-received. We’re hoping to maybe double that,” said Sherry Wesley, a museum volunteer.

Proceeds from the event will be used to create exhibits on the museum’s second floor, she said.

Wesley researched the local historical figures for the tour.

“I looked through old newspapers ... in the obituaries and looked for something that might be interesting,” she said.

Some of the local historical figures were included in the tour after being suggested by those who wanted to know more about them. One such historical figure is Ella Carden.

“Everybody always seems to have a question about Ella Carden sitting on the tombstone, so we thought we would do her just because of the curiosity,” Wesley said.

The story of why the statue is atop the tombstone was told when her husband’s will was published in a local newspaper.

“That’s the way her husband, I’m assuming, designed the tombstone. She died, I believe, it was in 1891 and he left $1,000 for her tombstone and then he died in 1893 and the tombstone came about after his death from what I could understand,” Wesley said. “Apparently he was a well-liked, well-known businessman of the time. The newspaper published his will and that’s really the only information pretty much that we have is that will.”

Some of the actors for the event were solicited through the community theater group, The Far Off Broadway Players, while others stepped up to volunteer after the event last year.

Dane Bowles, a Glasgow attorney, got involved through FOBP.

“I was unable to attend last year, but I had heard about [the tour],” he said. “Some of my family members had attended it and really enjoyed it.”

He is portraying the role of PFC Leon Atha, a World War II soldier.

Bowles is not a history buff, but said he is finding it interesting to play the role of someone was involved in World War II.

Other local historical figures and the actors who portray them are: Major John Botts, John Botts; Mrs. Indy Bass Weldon, Gina Lyon; Miss Callie Beals, Patty Hughes; General Joseph H. Lewis, Brian Pack; Flora Harvey Shannon, Barbara Pendleton; John Wyatt, Danny Wyatt; Lucian and Ella Carden, Todd and Ann Steenbergen and PFC Leon Atha, Dane Bowles.

Designing the costumes they will wear is Red Carter of Glasgow.

When Wesley asked Todd Woodward, former choral director at Glasgow High School, for some suggestions on who might be able to help with the costumes for the tour he mentioned Carter’s name.

Carter worked with Woodward in designing the costumes for the Glasgow High School’s production of “The Sound of Music.”

She has been shopping at the local Goodwill store and consignment shops looking for clothing that can be transformed into period-correct costumes, in addition to searching the costume collections kept at GHS and FOBP.

“I actually went to Goodwill and bought Danny Wyatt’s outfit,” she said.

Carter has to damage the outfit because the photo the museum has of John Wyatt shows him in dirty clothes that have been patched.

“So I’m going to coffee dye it,” she said, adding that doing so will give it a worn, aged look.

For Brian Pack’s costume she is transforming an old marching band uniform that Woodward, who teaches art at Highland Elementary, helped her locate it.

“It’s moth-eaten. It’s missing buttons. It’s ripped so I’m going to have to fix it and make some stuff to supplement it, but I think it’s going to work,” she said.

The tour takes place Friday and Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. with the last tour departing at 8 p.m. and the tour concluding at 9 p.m. Those planning to take the tour will meet at the museum where they will board buses for the tour. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the museum. For more information, call the museum at 651-9792.