Alpine Cross Quilt Block and Walking Wednesdays

This week's Walking Wednesdays is a bit unusual.  It takes place at a cemetery - for the 13th Annual Evergreen Cemetery Historic Walking Tour.  We were greeted at the chapel by "Theodore Roosevelt" himself!

Evergreen Cemetery was established shortly after Colorado Springs was founded in 1871 and was deeded to the city in 1875.  It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

We walked along the tree-lined roads, stopping at the graves of some people who were important in the history of the Pikes Peak Region.  We heard from re-enactors at each grave site.

William Jackson Palmer (1836-1909) was the founder of Colorado Springs. 

His wife Mary Lincoln Mellen "Queen" Palmer (1850-1894) opened the first public school in Colorado Springs and served as its first teacher. 

 

Winfield Scott Stratton (1848-1902 was a prospector who became Cripple Creek District's first millionaire with his Independence mine.  He was very generous with his money in helping the less fortunate. 

George Birdsall (1876-1956) was a former El Paso County sheriff and mayor of Colorado Springs. 

R. Scott Kelly (1826-1913) was the first sheriff of El Paso County.  Among his greatest accomplishments was the capture of “Big Tooth Jim,” who murdered at least 35 people.

 

Julia Hamp (1895-1977) brought the Girl Scout organization to Colorado Springs and helped start the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.  She wanted all girls to be able to join the Girl Scouts, regardless of the color of their skin. 

Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885) was a poet, writer, and activist on behalf of improved treatment of Native Americans by the U.S. government.  She wrote A Century of Dishonor and the novel Ramona. 

Deborah Tufts Ferrand died of measles when she was only 8 years old.  Her father commissioned an Italian artist to create an angel in her likeness out of Carrara marble.  Her mother was Annie Ferrand.  

 

The Ferrand angel was vandalized in 2005, and her right hand was broken off.  Money from today's walk will go toward restoration of the angel.

 

We finished our walk back at the chapel, built in 1909, with lovely stained glass windows on the ground floor . . . and an interesting basement!

 

 

 



 

Years ago, a coffin would be wheeled into the walk-out basement from the back entrance.

Then it would be placed on the "coffin lifter" and raised up to the main floor of the chapel for the funeral service.  It was lowered again after the funeral so it could be taken out the walk-out basement to the burial site.

 

Caskets could also be stored in the basement if the ground was too frozen for immediate burial.

 

After the two hour historic walk, I went to Fargo's Pizza.  It's one of my family's favorite places.

 

 

All in all, a wonderful walking adventure!

 

 

Does your local cemetery offer a similar historic walk?  Inquiring minds want to know!

 

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post here.