Denver Riverside Cemetery

5201 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216, USA

The historic Riverside Cemetery sits just outside the downtown area and although it is now surrounded by railroad tracks and refineries, it is one of the most beautiful, and hidden, places in the entire city. Many of the state’s most prominent figures are buried here, as are soldiers from the Civil War. The grave markers are stunning, with stone angels guarding over all who sleep here. Be sure to look out for the Lester Drake Cabin. And if you happen to be in Denver for Halloween, go on an evening guided tour and celebrate the night with the spirits.

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Hidden Beauty

The historic Riverside Cemetery sits just outside the downtown area and although it is now surrounded by railroad tracks and refineries, it is one of the most beautiful, and hidden, places in the entire city. Many of the state’s most prominent figures are buried here, as are soldiers from the Civil War. The grave markers are stunning, with stone angels guarding over all who sleep here. Be sure to look out for the Lester Drake Cabin. And if you happen to be in Denver for Halloween, go on an evening guided tour and celebrate the night with the spirits.

Rest In Peace

Riverside Cemetery, founded in 1876, is Denver’s oldest operating cemetery and is designated as a National Historic District. Located just two miles north of downtown in the center of an industrial area, Riverside is truly a unique cultural treasure that has been widely ignored for many years. I’ve lived in Denver for 43 years, rarely heard of it and visited once last October during one of their evening/night tours, when this picture was taken. Over two hours of Colorado/Denver history is presented. We didn’t see a ghost, but if we waited long enough in silence, perhaps.

Denver’s Pioneer Cemetery

Founded by the Riverside Cemetery Association without a written agreement on water rights or an endowment, Riverside is Denver’s oldest operating cemetery and was designated a National Historic District in 1994. The statuary at Riverside celebrates 138 years of Colorado history; unique sculptures in granite, marble, limestone and bronze stand as the guardians of Riverside’s history. Among the collection of irreplaceable funerary art is a rare zinc exact likeness soldier monument, part of the largest known collection of zinc monuments in North American. Riverside is a reflection of the cultural diversity of the early settlers and the final resting place of many of Colorado’s most notable citizens including: Clara Brown, Augusta Tabor, Miguel Otero, Barney & Julia Ford, Cpt. Silas Soule, and Gov. John Evans, as well as 1,200 Civil War veterans, including three Medal of Honor recipients. The Riverside Revival continues planting a sustainable landscape while preserving the monuments, history and heritage of Riverside. Community collaboration at its best, the Riverside Revival is crucial to ensuring that Riverside is preserved for future generations.

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