Linda Jones, Gilpin County.      On Saturday, August 23, the pioneers buried in the Knights of Pythias cemetery above Central City will share their tales of life on earth in the 19th century.

This year’s Cemetery Crawl, the 26th produced by Gilpin History, features such well-known residents as the Magor, Rohling, Neno, and Quiller families. Also featured are the hard-working miners and their wives who made homes in this wilderness but never made the pages of the local papers, such as Fred Rowe, Levinia Champion, Andrew Hohn, Richard Bowden, and others with unique life stories. Actors in vintage clothing will make these pioneers come to life during the Crawl.

The Crawl begins at 11:00 a.m. Free parking is available at the Teller House parking lot in Central City and free round-trip transportation from there to the cemetery and back is being provided by members of the Colorado Knights of Pythias lodge.

If you would prefer to drive to the cemetery, follow Eureka Street past the Opera House to the top of the hill and turn right. The Knights of Pythias is one of the six cemeteries located at the top of Eureka Street.

Now heavily forested by aspen, the Knights of Pythias cemetery is a lovely, peaceful place to wander among the tombstones. Several of the family plots are fenced by intricate wrought iron work and many of the tombstones are works of art.

Cost of the Crawl is $10 in advance, $12 at the cemetery, with children under 12 free. Because of the popularity of the Crawl, attendees should plan to arrive 15 – 20 minutes before it begins. To order an armband in advance or to ask questions, call 303-582-5283 any day other than Monday, between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Pythians are celebrating the 150th anniversary this year of the founding of the lodge by Justus Henry Rathbone on February 19, 1864, in Washington, DC; it was the first fraternal organization chartered by an Act of the US Congress. The principles of the Knights are Friendship, Charity and Benevolence. Pythians believe one way to happiness is through service to mankind and that friendship is an essential ingredient in life. The Black Hawk Lodge was instituted on January 30, 1875, and the Central City lodge, May 1, 1875.

The popular Great Central City Beer Fest, featuring many Colorado craft breweries, flows on Main Street following the Crawl, and participants wearing their armbands from the Crawl will receive a $10 discount at the Beer Fest.