Patrice LeBlanc, Central City.   The Gilpin County Historical Society’s 30th Annual Cemetery Crawl took place on Aug. 25, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Central City, CO. Actors potrayed the deceased spirits and told their story while standing next to their headstone. All the actors are current or past members of the historical society and researched their character for a realistic portrayal.

The eleven characters were played by: Jennifer Black (Mattie Mosch), Chuck Roberts (Charles Stienle), Mike Keeler (John Remine), Stephen Weidner (John Schellanger), Tom Mathews (William Lehmkuhl), Brandi (Louisa Eva), Eric China (Joseph Beaman), Ed Schoenradt (James Miller), Chuck Webster (Thorvald Crook), Randy Schneider and Robin Diadone (John Champion).

A representative from the International Order of Odd Fellows, Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 2 spoke of the history of the cemetery and David Forseth divided the crowd into groups of 12 to visit each grave as 22 guides led them through the plots. A local resident commented, “I’ve learned more about the history of Central City in the 2 hour Cemetery Crawl than I have the whole time I lived here”. The event was followed by the 7th Annual Great Central City Beer Fest on Main Street which featured 40 of Colorado’s Best Craft Beers.