Since 2003, the Nesbitt Memorial Library Foundation has captivated audiences with its popular Live Oaks and Dead Folks Cemetery Tour—an unforgettable stroll through Colorado County’s vivid and storied past. Held at dusk on the first Saturday of each November, this walking tour takes place among the gravestones of either the Old City Cemetery or the Odd Fellows Rest Cemetery in Columbus, Texas.

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     Guided by lantern light and rich with theatrical storytelling, the tour features costumed actors portraying real-life figures from Colorado County’s history—both the celebrated and the notorious. Their stories, drawn from the archives of the Nesbitt Memorial Library, are brought to life through firsthand narratives, some of which are tragic, others stretch the bounds of imagination, and still others will leave you laughing out loud.

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     From frontier settlers and war heroes to cunning outlaws and visionary pioneers, the tour shines a light on the people who helped shape one of Stephen F. Austin’s original colonies. It’s a uniquely local experience that combines history, community, and a touch of theatrical magic.

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     Tickets are $25, and all proceeds benefit the Nesbitt Memorial Library Foundation.  Come for the history. Stay for the characters. Leave with a deeper connection to Colorado County’s remarkable past.