You may not know the name Theodore J. Schmitz but you definitely know of his legacy.

It was the Elgin man’s idea to mark the center of roads with yellow paint as a means of dividing traffic and keeping cars in the proper lanes, a concept first applied on the streets of Elgin.

It’s his story and six others that will come to life Saturday and Sunday during the 38th annual Bluff City Cemetery Walk presented by the Elgin History Museum. Actors portray the people featured in the walk and dress in costume.

The theme of this year’s walk are local people who made innovations in transportation, a fitting concept given that U.S. 20 marks its 100th anniversary this year, walk co-chair John Devine said.

Schmitz, a 28-year employee of the Elgin National Watch Co., became interested in automobiles e

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