This site is located a few miles further on Pleasant Park Rd outside of Conifer, CO
If anyone has any idea where this cemetery is located or how to get access to it, I would be greatly appreciative. It is well documented in a number of books or sites, but everything around it looks to be private property and I could not find any access roads...
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Conifer Cemetery (39-31.033N, 105-18.245W)
Overall: Right off of 285 on Pleasant Park Road, looks as though there is some very recent restoration activity with the surveyors tape on many markers and temporary markers.
Oldest Grave: Albert Britton, April 2 1889; Gravestone
Photos: Pictures on Photobucket
Observations: For being right off 285 and pretty obvious, this cemetery has not been used much recently - newest marker is 2005. There is definitely some restoration work going on.
findagrave.com has a decent amount of information on a lot of the Kemps and McQueary's in the location. There are also a lot of Wheelers and Jones in the place.
Nothing too out of the ordinary, just a cemetery that may or may not be currently used. As with most sites around here, many unmarked graves that look to be trying to be located and restored.
Further Research: With the restoration and proximity to our house, we'll definitely check back from time to time to see what the restoration gets accomplished.
Oldest Grave: Albert Britton, April 2 1889; Gravestone
Photos: Pictures on Photobucket
Observations: For being right off 285 and pretty obvious, this cemetery has not been used much recently - newest marker is 2005. There is definitely some restoration work going on.
findagrave.com has a decent amount of information on a lot of the Kemps and McQueary's in the location. There are also a lot of Wheelers and Jones in the place.
Nothing too out of the ordinary, just a cemetery that may or may not be currently used. As with most sites around here, many unmarked graves that look to be trying to be located and restored.
Further Research: With the restoration and proximity to our house, we'll definitely check back from time to time to see what the restoration gets accomplished.
Wamblee Valley Memorial Park (39-27.701N, 105-19.604W)
Overall: This site is not in too many references anywhere that I could find. I found it by luck looking at a USGS Topographical Map of the area. A touch of research on Google and Jefferson Country site identifies this as "French Canadian."
Oldest Grave: Two restored markers are tough to read, but both look to be from 1879: Dennis Akins and Johnnie D. M. (found the M on the small foot marker) ; Akins Gravestone ; Johnnie M Grave Marker; Johnnie M Gravestone with Footer
Photos: Pictures on Photobucket
Observations: This was a very strange find. At the very end of a mountain road - sandwiched between two houses and some private land. To find the site, travel on 285 to south of Conifer, get off at Richmond Hill Road and follow it into the hills, about a mile in you will get to a T in the road, take a right (Wamblee Valley Rd), take this for about 2.5 miles and you will come to a Y in the road, to the right is clearly marked as a private drive and to the left is Memorial Park Way - take this left and just down from there the road ends and there is the site.
There were only a handful of marked graves, but lots and lots of markers (metal and wooden) from what appears to be a restoration project. However, that restoration does not look to be very recent.
This site just looks like a place that time forgot. Not too may people live down Wamblee Valley Road, so the site probably is only seen by a few people a year.
Further Research: I am definitely going to do some more research on this site, very little is marked with lots of temporary markers. It also looks like it is from near the beginning of the gold rush (oldest markers were 1879, but only a handful in the 1800's, so most of those are probably the unmarked).
Oldest Grave: Two restored markers are tough to read, but both look to be from 1879: Dennis Akins and Johnnie D. M. (found the M on the small foot marker) ; Akins Gravestone ; Johnnie M Grave Marker; Johnnie M Gravestone with Footer
Photos: Pictures on Photobucket
Observations: This was a very strange find. At the very end of a mountain road - sandwiched between two houses and some private land. To find the site, travel on 285 to south of Conifer, get off at Richmond Hill Road and follow it into the hills, about a mile in you will get to a T in the road, take a right (Wamblee Valley Rd), take this for about 2.5 miles and you will come to a Y in the road, to the right is clearly marked as a private drive and to the left is Memorial Park Way - take this left and just down from there the road ends and there is the site.
There were only a handful of marked graves, but lots and lots of markers (metal and wooden) from what appears to be a restoration project. However, that restoration does not look to be very recent.
This site just looks like a place that time forgot. Not too may people live down Wamblee Valley Road, so the site probably is only seen by a few people a year.
Further Research: I am definitely going to do some more research on this site, very little is marked with lots of temporary markers. It also looks like it is from near the beginning of the gold rush (oldest markers were 1879, but only a handful in the 1800's, so most of those are probably the unmarked).
Pine Gulch Cemetery (39-27.658N, 105-23.853W)
Overall: Could not believe this is pretty much right in our backyard - fairly small and does not appear to still be in use.
Oldest Grave: William M. Fleming, 1880 ; Gravestone
Photos: Pictures on Photobucket
Observations: As indicated before, this is pretty much in our backyard. As with most cemeteries in Colorado that date to the Gold Rush time, it does not appear that all of the graves are marked. Those that are there are in decent shape.
Not a whole lot to say about this one - just kind of there and more interesting for us being close to us.
I'd say we have at least found on the map at least 7 cemeteries within about 10 miles of us.
Further Research: Does not appear there is any active restoration going on, but due to proximity may check back from time to time...
Oldest Grave: William M. Fleming, 1880 ; Gravestone
Photos: Pictures on Photobucket
Observations: As indicated before, this is pretty much in our backyard. As with most cemeteries in Colorado that date to the Gold Rush time, it does not appear that all of the graves are marked. Those that are there are in decent shape.
Not a whole lot to say about this one - just kind of there and more interesting for us being close to us.
I'd say we have at least found on the map at least 7 cemeteries within about 10 miles of us.
Further Research: Does not appear there is any active restoration going on, but due to proximity may check back from time to time...
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Updates
Haven't had an update in a while - one reason is we have not gotten a chance to get out much more after Como and Mt. Sherman.
However, I have started doing a bit more research and looking for more out of the way place that maybe do not get the press and photos such as the Dauntless Mine on Mt. Sherman. Don't get me wrong, that Mine may be my favorite site so far - but pretty much everyone takes pictures of it... One interesting tidbit I just found out - looks like up until at least the end of 2008 there was an additional building on the site that seems to have come down in the past couple of years.
My desire will be to do more research this winter and when spring and summer 2011 comes around, begin exploring again - only this time, looking for more out of the way places - something we will have to get a jeep or ATV for...
However, I have started doing a bit more research and looking for more out of the way place that maybe do not get the press and photos such as the Dauntless Mine on Mt. Sherman. Don't get me wrong, that Mine may be my favorite site so far - but pretty much everyone takes pictures of it... One interesting tidbit I just found out - looks like up until at least the end of 2008 there was an additional building on the site that seems to have come down in the past couple of years.
My desire will be to do more research this winter and when spring and summer 2011 comes around, begin exploring again - only this time, looking for more out of the way places - something we will have to get a jeep or ATV for...
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