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Subject: Knights of Pythias cemetery in Central
City, CO
Date: 11/30/2012 8:25:52 A.M. Pacific Standard Time
From: purdymouth@att.net
Pete,
Unfortunately any records of the K.O.P. cemetery in Central
City, Colorado have eluded not only me but everyone who you'd
think would know something. I spoke with Linda Jones the town
historian, the Gilpin County Historical Socity, Central City
visitor center, Central City city hall, and Michael Mansfield,
the grand secretary of Wyoming & Colorado.
The cemetery was actually moved around 1870 and people who
were buried in the city cemetery, Catholic cemetery & IOOF
cemetery where all mingled into the K.O.P. cemetery. In fact
they are still uncovering bodies today. A sewer line burst
in 2010 and while fixing the pipe, the excavation crew came
across 3 unmarked graves.
You wanted to know if the cemetery was in good shape. I would
say it is however I failed to mention that a few head stones
were toppled over and/ or in bad condition. This is expected
of course due to its age. There has also been a problem recently
of people stealing headstones around there. Very sad and disturbing!
I realize this all pretty vague but the best information I
could find. The oldest stone in this cemetery is dated 1868
but could have been moved to there as recently noted. We know
the cemetery could not have existed before 1859 when the town
was founded, nor before 1864 when the K.O.P. was established.
Best estimates place the origin of the cemetery between 1866
-1870.
Sorry I couldn't find anything concrete on
the matter.
best regards,
Lance Estep
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