Columbia Cemetery — a fine and quiet place
Early in the Covid crisis, we discovered cemeteries are great for walking and for nature observation.
The residents don’t object, and we encountered few other walkers. The gravel “streets” (closed to traffic) in Columbia Cemetery on 9th Street between College Avenue and Pleasant Street, allow you to do countless permutations, walking back and forth or in a criss-cross pattern putting in several miles if you so desire.
Many tree species provide shade in summer and color in October. Although our wicked winds are beginning to tear off the leaves, green ashes and cottonwoods still gleam bright yellow, and oaks are beginning to turn to rich russets. Anderson Ditch runs through the cemetery, and tomb stones made from marble, granite, sandstone, and limestone provide glimpses into Boulder’s history.
Luminaries buried here vary from the notorious hired killer and Pinkerton detective Tom Horn to the first woman professor at the University of Colorado, Mary Rippon, a well-respected scholar and teacher, was forced to lead a double life because she was a woman.
In her day married women were not allowed to teach. When she and Will Housel, one of her students, fell in love and she became pregnant, they married in secret. She took a sabbatical and went to Germany to give birth. Her husband raised their daughter, and the love affair remained a secret until her grandson told the story in 1977.
The victim of one of Boulder’s most notorious murders is also buried here. In 1954 the beaten and bloodied body of a young woman was found below Boulder Falls. Unidentified for 56 years, she was buried under the name “Jane Doe.” In 2004 local historian Sylvia Pettem got the cold case reopened.
Thanks to DNA, the nameless victim was identified as Dorothy Gay Howard and is now buried beneath a new stone as well as the old “Jane Doe” stone.
The red “lollipop tombstone,” easily visible from 9th Street, marks the grave of Paula Barchillon, only 2 when she died. Paula once laughed at a bright red abstract painting, so her parents had the artist create this unique fiberglass memorial.
For more stories, read If These Stones Could Talk (available from Boulder Public library) by Mary Reilly Mcnellan and others.
The Masonic Columbia Lodge purchased the 10.5-acre tract in April, 1870, from Boulder pioneers Marinus and Anna Smith for $200. Only a few weeks later the first burial took place. After the cemetery fell into disrepair, the city took over ownership, and since 1966 it has been managed by the Parks and Recreation Department.
For many years, Historic Boulder sponsored an event called “Meet the Spirits” where costumed actors enacted the lives of some of the 6,500 people buried in the graveyard. This year the event has gone digital and will be streamed through Nov. 25. Tickets ($14 for non-members) and a pamphlet and map to download are available at historicboulder.org/ meet-the-spirits-2020.
The cemetery is closed to automobiles but parking is available on any of the side streets. We usually park on Pleasant Street next to Mattie Dean’s Garden (a handkerchief park that’s more of a weed patch right now) and cross over to the north entry gate. Many years ago, Pleasant Street terminated near here with a sign: “Dead End.”
Check Columbia Cemetery online for more information and a free map. With map in hand, you can walk anywhere you choose and search for the graves of people who intrigue you. We found Tom Horn’s tombstone fairly easily, but never did find the grave of Mary Rippon.
Other interesting local cemeteries include the Ryssby Church Cemetery, Green Mt. Cemetery, and cemeteries in Lyons, Louisville, and Gold Hill. Google Boulder County Cemeteries for a complete list.