Colorado Spirit Quest #24: Silver Plume Cemetery

The original Colorado Spirit Quest #24 - Silver Plume Cemetery was archived on June 4,2022. This was a very memorable stop for me and I am keeping this one going by placing a new container in a slightly different spot and with the permission of the CSQ "manager" Joe Friday.

History of Silver Plume: As the silver claims around Georgetown flourished, late-arriving prospectors naturally tried their luck in nearby areas. The most obvious place was farther up Clear Creek, whose placer deposits had begun the strikes at both Idaho Springs and Georgetown.

In the mid-1860s, another mining camp grew in a location beyond Georgetown as the result of that continued prospecting, and in 1870, major silver discoveries fueled a genuine bonanza. The most colorful account of the naming of the new town involves Commodore Stephen Decatur, editor of Georgetown’s Colorado Miner. He had been shown ore samples featuring feathery streaks of silver in a plume shape. When asked what to call the new but unnamed camp, Decatur proclaimed, “The name? You’ve already got the name! It was written on the ore you brought me!”

Silver Plume was incorporated in 1880 and within a couple of years could claim saloons, boardinghouses, butcher shops, mercantiles, fraternal lodges, a theater, a school, and Catholic and Methodist churches. With its modest frame buildings packed into narrow streets along the canyon floor, Silver Plume lacked the splendor of Georgetown. It was proudly proclaimed a “miners’ town,” whereas its more cosmopolitan neighbor was the home of mine owners and managers.

Many of those modest buildings disappeared on the night of November 4, 1884, when a fire started in Patrick Barrett’s saloon. The flames spread down Main Street, consuming most of downtown. Devout women and children knelt in front of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and prayed for divine intervention. Although the fire seriously damaged the east wall, the church was spared. The next morning, Barrett’s body was found in the ashes of his saloon.

Rebuilding began the next day. Citizens floated a bond issue for a water works and increased fire protection, including purchase of the town’s first pumper, shipped from St. Louis. The business district was completely rebuilt by 1886, with saloons prevailing on the south side of Main Street while other businesses, such as the post office, barbershop, print shop, and mortuary, stood on the north side.

The prosperity of Silver Plume was short-lived. Like neighboring Georgetown, the community reeled from the blow of the Silver Crash of 1893.

The Silver Plume Cemetery also known as the Pine Grove Cemetery was established in 1883. Some sections of the cemetery are designated with wrought iron gates, but graves are scattered in every direction with not much consistency with the lay out.

The road to the cemetery is on the South side of I-70. Follow that street behind the train station. You may possibly observe a sign that says "Road Closed, Local Traffic Only", however the cemetery is open to the public. 4 wheel or AWD is highly recommended during the WInter months, and please park at the designated parking coordinates.

"COLORADO SPIRIT QUEST"

The Colorado Spirit Quest is a series of Caches started in 2008. Placed by many individuals, near cemeteries and historic sites in hopes of paying respect to the many pioneer ancestors that have 'walked' before us. There are hundreds of cemeteries in the rural and mountain communities across Colorado. This series will introduce you to many of them. The cache pages will provide a virtual history tour of the cemeteries and tombstones.

The Colorado Spirit Quest endeavor is an enormous and relentless task. It cannot be accomplished by just one or two people. This project will only flourish if there is a multitude of volunteer cachers willing to place these caches.

After locating the cache container, take some time to reflect back on the lives of those pioneers and the effort it took to make Colorado such a great state.

If you are interested in placing a "Colorado Spirit Quest" you should contact Ivy Dog Parents or Joe Friday.

Each person that places a Colorado Spirit Quest cache is responsible for its maintenance.

Additional Waypoints

P0A2HKZ - Park Here
N 39° 41.703 W 105° 43.212