Echoes of Exeter: Bringing History to Life at the Cemetery
By Dwight Miller
My fascination with local history began only five years ago, sparked by the story of the Invincibles—the Exeter semi-pro football team that captured two state championships in the 1920 and 1921 seasons. Their victories are immortalized on the wall of Holaday Gym at Exeter High. That discovery set me on a path of deeper involvement in our community’s past, eventually leading me to join the Board of the Center for Art, Culture, and History–Exeter (CACHE).
In June 2022, the Exeter Public Cemetery District (EPCD) placed a parcel tax measure on the ballot with a stark warning: without additional funding, they might be forced to close their three cemeteries. Like many, I was shocked. I had never given much thought to cemeteries or how they operate, despite having family and friends buried there. Then it struck me: beneath the ground rest nearly 9,000 people whose stories tell the history of Exeter itself. CACHE exists in part, to preserve and share stories like these—and the cemeteries are a living archive. That realization drew me to EPCD board meetings, where I learned just how urgently support is needed. Another parcel tax measure will appear before the district’s 13,000+ voters in June 2026.
Out of this journey came a new idea. On Saturday, September 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., EPCD and CACHE will host Exeter’s very first Cemetery Walk, titled Echoes of Exeter. Inspired by successful events in Visalia (Tales of the Tomb) and Lemoore (Legends of Lemoore), our version will spotlight six remarkable individuals who helped shape the Exeter area. Each will be portrayed by a local actor at their gravesite, sharing their life story in a 15-minute performance. Audience groups will rotate from site to site until all six voices from the past have been heard.
This year’s inaugural cast of characters includes:
- Norbert W. Mixter (1898–1981) – Eldest son of the Exeter druggist who built the iconic Mixter Building in 1910. He guided the business through the 1920s–1950s, leaving a lasting mark on downtown.
- Rena Pennebaker Cary (1892–1997) – A pioneer’s granddaughter who became one of Exeter’s most influential civic leaders, dedicating six decades of her life to community service.
- Kenny Guinn (1936–2010) – An Exeter High grad who rose from humble beginnings to become Governor of Nevada, never forgetting or failing to honor his hometown roots.
- Elizabeth Dobson (1899–1982) – Small in stature but mighty in impact, she poured her energy into Exeter’s civic life and played leading roles in Tulare County theater for half a century.
- Dr. James F. Dungan (1866–1934) – Exeter’s first resident physician, recruited from Virginia in 1893. His civic leadership and medical service shaped the community for decades, and his family’s influence continues today.
- Nancy Jane Sweeney (1837–1916) – A resilient widow who uprooted her large family from Missouri to the Lemon Cove area, becoming a successful farmer and businesswoman.
The portrayals will be personal as well as historical: Michael Newman will embody his great-grandfather Norbert Mixter; Heidi Carmen will play her great-great-great-grandmother, Nancy Jane Sweeney; and Jennifer Hamilton will honor her great-grandmother Elizabeth Dobson. Joining them are Brandy Amaro as Rena Cary, Mike Hamilton as Kenny Guinn, and Taylor Hamilton as Dr. Dungan.
Tickets are available now at CACHE, the EPCD office, the Exeter Chamber of Commerce, NSE Insurance, and online at https://cach-exeter.org/event/cemetery-walk/. Tickets will also be sold at the cemetery on the morning of the event.
Through Echoes of Exeter, we aim to preserve history in a way that is vivid, memorable, and deeply human. This won’t just be a walk among headstones—it will be a walk into the stories of the people who built and defined our community. Our hope is to make it an annual tradition, a September event that honors Exeter’s past while inspiring future generations.