Aug. 21, 2025

Episode 245 - Beneath the Surface: A Surprising Cemetery Tale

Episode 245 - Beneath the Surface: A Surprising Cemetery Tale

Not every public park is as it seems, and not every cemetery is for that matter either! This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by fellow taphophile Randy Crane as he shares the story of the life, death and reincarnation of side-by-side (Broadway and Mount Olive) cemeteries located in Whittier, California. Randy tells how the cemeteries began as beautiful late 19th-century garden cemeteries, only to become neglected and forlorn just a few decades later. Don't miss the biggest surprise of the story when Randy reveals the unexpected twist that befell the headstones of the nearly 1300 Ordinary Extraordinary souls laid to rest beneath the foothills of this Southern California town.

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*All images provided by Randy Crane and shared with permission.

Last chance to get your tickets for the Gilpin Historical Society 36th Annual Cemetery Crawl on Saturday, August 23rd: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-36th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1435390223799?aff=oddtdtcreator

Tickets are now on sale for the 5th Annual Beyond the Grave: The Phantom of the Opera! Join us for mystery and music of the night all while supporting the preservation of Colorado Springs's historic cemeteries: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-grave-presents-the-phantom-of-the-opera-tickets-1598805282639?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie, or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com