Riverside Cemetery (Denver, Colorado)
Encyclopedia
Riverside Cemetery, established in 1876, is Denver, Colorado
's oldest operating cemetery
. More than 67,000 people are buried there, including 1,000 veterans.
, approximately 4 miles down stream from downtown Denver, Colorado
. The majority of Riverside Cemetery lies within Adams County, Colorado
, however the rest of the cemetery, the cemeteries' entrance and administration building, are within the City and County of Denver.
Riverside Cemetery originally was the property of the Riverside Cemetery Association from its founding in 1876 until 1900 when the association's assets were transferred to the Fairmount Cemetery Association (presently known as Fairmount Cemetery Company). In late 2000, Fairmount Cemetery Company along with members of the community founded the Fairmount Heritage Foundation to be a educational resource for the community and to protect and preserve the heritage of both the company's properties: Riverside Cemetery and Fairmount Cemetery. The volunteers of this foundation staff the Riverside Cemetery Office on Tuesdays and Thursdays and organize events and preservation projects for the cemeteries.
and the surrounding greenery made it a popular choice for wealthy families; the opening of the Burlington Railroad
in the 1890s changed this, spurring industrial growth in the neighborhood, and some families chose to have their relatives' remains exhumed and reburied elsewhere. Prominent people continued to be interred there, with ornate headstones to mark their graves; however, the proportion of unmarked graves rose dramatically, as counties from all over the state sent the bodies of their impoverished dead citizens there. Riverside remained the area's most significant cemetery until the mid-20th century, and retains importance for scholars studying in the early history of Denver, as the city kept no systematic death records until 1910. Today, the neighborhood has become a largely industrial area, surrounded by a gas station, smokestacks, train tracks, and an industrial park, a few blocks from Interstate 70
. It remains a minor tourist attraction; in 2001, 3,000 people went on walking tours of the site.
The cemetery's final grave site was assigned in July 2005; the management company, Fairmount Cemetery Inc., indicated that they would not accept further burials after that, because they were losing money on each sale. They have also stopped watering and cut back drastically on services, claiming that their $2.1 million endowment, which generated roughly $62,000 per year in interest, was not enough to water the property and properly maintain all the graves; their records show that they lost $159,000 in 2003. They still employ two groundskeepers to pick up trash, but have had to refuse offers of maintenance help from volunteers due to liability issues. In 2005, Fairmount approached the city government and requested they take over operation of the cemetery; however, the city were forced to decline due to lack of funds. Local residents, concerned by the dying trees and grass and generally poor state of the cemetery, formed a group, Friends of Historic Riverside Cemetery, to bring public attention to the issue. They requested the assistance of a local Orthodox church whose founders are buried there; Fairmount indicated that they would be willing to transfer the endowment and operations of the cemetery to a group that could provide an additional trust of $1 million to cover operating expenses.
Being Denver's oldest operating cemetery, Riverside serves as the final resting place for hundreds of local historical figures. With three Medal of Honor
recipients (Day, Hasting, and Kelley) buried there, it has the most recipients of any cemetery in the state.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
's oldest operating cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. More than 67,000 people are buried there, including 1,000 veterans.
Location and operation
Riverside Cemetery occupies a 77 acres (311,608.2 m²) site between Brighton Boulevard and the east bank of the South Platte RiverSouth Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
, approximately 4 miles down stream from downtown Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The majority of Riverside Cemetery lies within Adams County, Colorado
Adams County, Colorado
Adams County is the fifth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 441,603 in 2010 census, a 21.4% increase since 2000 census. Adams County is named for Alva Adams, Governor of the...
, however the rest of the cemetery, the cemeteries' entrance and administration building, are within the City and County of Denver.
Riverside Cemetery originally was the property of the Riverside Cemetery Association from its founding in 1876 until 1900 when the association's assets were transferred to the Fairmount Cemetery Association (presently known as Fairmount Cemetery Company). In late 2000, Fairmount Cemetery Company along with members of the community founded the Fairmount Heritage Foundation to be a educational resource for the community and to protect and preserve the heritage of both the company's properties: Riverside Cemetery and Fairmount Cemetery. The volunteers of this foundation staff the Riverside Cemetery Office on Tuesdays and Thursdays and organize events and preservation projects for the cemeteries.
History
When first opened, the graveyard's secluded location on the banks of the South Platte RiverSouth Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
and the surrounding greenery made it a popular choice for wealthy families; the opening of the Burlington Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
in the 1890s changed this, spurring industrial growth in the neighborhood, and some families chose to have their relatives' remains exhumed and reburied elsewhere. Prominent people continued to be interred there, with ornate headstones to mark their graves; however, the proportion of unmarked graves rose dramatically, as counties from all over the state sent the bodies of their impoverished dead citizens there. Riverside remained the area's most significant cemetery until the mid-20th century, and retains importance for scholars studying in the early history of Denver, as the city kept no systematic death records until 1910. Today, the neighborhood has become a largely industrial area, surrounded by a gas station, smokestacks, train tracks, and an industrial park, a few blocks from Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
. It remains a minor tourist attraction; in 2001, 3,000 people went on walking tours of the site.
Notable burials
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients (Day, Hasting, and Kelley) buried there, it has the most recipients of any cemetery in the state.
- John BassJohn Bass (baseball)John Elias Bass , was a professional baseball player who played shortstop in the major leagues from -. He played for the Cleveland Forest Citys, Brooklyn Atlantics, and Hartford Dark Blues.In 1871, he led the National Association in triples with ten.-External links:...
, an early baseball pioneer, who was part of the first major league baseball team in 1871 - James B. BelfordJames B. BelfordJames Burns Belford was a U.S. Representative from Colorado, cousin of Joseph McCrum Belford.-Biography:Born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, Belford attended the common schools and Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania....
(1837–1910), U.S. Congressman and lawyer - Thomas BeltThomas BeltThomas Belt , an English geologist and naturalist, was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1832, and educated in that city. He is remembered for his work on the geology of gold bearing minerals, glacial geology, and for his description of the mutualistic relationship between certain bullthorn Acacia...
, English naturalist - Hiram Pitt BennetHiram Pitt BennetHiram Pitt Bennet was a Delegate from the Territory of Colorado.-Background:Born in Carthage, Maine, Bennet moved to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Richland County in 1831. He attended public and private schools and the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, before taking a teaching job in...
(1826–1914), U.S. Congressman - Henry P. H. BromwellHenry P. H. BromwellHenry Pelham Holmes Bromwell was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Bromwell moved with his parents to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1824, and thence to Cumberland, Illinois, in 1836....
(1823–1903), U.S. Congressman from Illinois and delegate to the Colorado constitutional convention - Clara BrownClara BrownClara Brown was a former slave from Virginia who became a community leader, philanthropist and aided settlement of former slaves during the time of Colorado's Gold Rush....
(c.1803 - 1885), freed slave, first black woman in Colorado, and one of the founders of the St. James Methodist Church - Chin Lin SouChin Lin SouChin Lin Sou was an influential leader in the Chinese American community and prominent figure in Colorado. He immigrated to the United States from Guangzhou, China, in 1859 at the age of 22. Chin stood out amongst his Chinese peers at the time in the United States as he dressed like a westerner...
(1837–1894), railroad foreman and early Chinese AmericanChinese AmericanChinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
community leader - David DayDavid DayDavid Day may refer to:*David Day , author from British Columbia*David Day , Australian historian*Dave Day of the punk band The Monks...
, Medal of Honor recipient during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25... - John EvansJohn Evans (governor)John Evans was a U.S. politician, physician, railroad promoter, Governor of the Territory of Colorado, and namesake of Evanston, Illinois; Evans, Colorado; and Mount Evans, Colorado...
(1814–1897), former Territory of Colorado governor - Barney Ford (1822–1902), runaway slave, Colorado pioneer and successful entrepreneur and businessman
- Smith Hastings, Medal of Honor recipient during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, served under George Custer - George V. KelleyGeorge V. KelleyGeorge VanStavoren Kelley was a line officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry at the Battle of Franklin during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign....
, received a Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate flagFlags of the Confederate States of AmericaThere were only three flag designs adopted, with later, minor variants made to those designs, that served as the official national flags of the Confederate States of America and used during its existence from 1861 to 1865...
during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25... - Oliver MarcelleOliver MarcelleOliver Hazzard Marcelle , nicknamed "Ghost", was an American third baseman in the Negro Leagues for a number of teams around the league from 1918-1931. He also played shortstop. A Creole born in Thibodaux, Louisiana, he batted and threw right-handed.While the Negro Leagues had many statistics...
(c. 1890 - 1949), first black baseball player in Colorado, buried in an unmarked grave - Miguel Antonio Otero (1829–1882), prominent New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
politician - Park Hee ByungPark Hee ByungPark Hee Byung was a Korean independence activist and one of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S. state of Colorado.-Life and death:...
(1871–1907), Korean independence activistKorean independence movementThe Korean independence movement grew out of the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Korea became independent; that day is now an annual holiday called Gwangbokjeol in South Korea, and Chogukhaebangŭi nal in North Korea.-Background:In...
and "founding father" of the state's Korean AmericanKorean AmericanKorean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
community, grave unmarked until 2007 - John Long RouttJohn Long RouttJohn Long Routt was a U.S. Republican political figure. Born in Eddyville, Kentucky, he served as the first and seventh Governor of Colorado from 1876 to 1879 and 1891 to 1893. He also served as Mayor of Denver, Colorado from 1883 to 1885...
(1826–1907), last territorial governor of Colorado, first state governor of Colorado, Denver mayor - Jacob SchuelerJacob SchuelerJacob Schueler was a confectionery proprietor in the city of Denver during the early 1870s. Born in Germany's Rhineland in 1835, he immigrated to America in 1850, and arrived in Denver as one of the Pikes Peakers in 1861. He soon went to serve in the American Civil War and returned...
, co-founder of the Coors BreweryCoors Brewing CompanyThe Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States... - Silas SouleSilas SouleSilas Stillman Soule was a Massachusetts abolitionist, Kansas Territory Jayhawker, and a soldier in the Colorado infantry and cavalry during the American Civil War. Captain Soule, as commander of Company D, 1st Colorado Cavalry, was present at the Sand Creek Massacre on November 29, 1864...
, soldier in the Colorado Cavalry who disobeyed Colonel John ChivingtonJohn ChivingtonJohn Milton Chivington was a colonel in the United States Army who served in the American Indian Wars during the Colorado War and the New Mexico Campaigns of the American Civil War...
's orders to fire on defenseless Indians - Augusta Tabor (1833–1895), Colorado pioneer and first wife of Horace Tabor.
- Philip Zang (1826–1899), owner of Rocky Mountain Brewery, later renamed Zang Brewery