Introduction

Denver, Colorado, is a city built on the rugged spirit of pioneers, miners, politicians, and artists whose lives shaped the American West. Beneath its modern skyline and vibrant neighborhoods lie quiet, hallowed grounds where generations rest—cemeteries that are not merely places of burial, but living archives of history, culture, and memory. Among these, a select few stand out for their enduring preservation, historical significance, and the trust placed in them by families, historians, and the public alike. This article presents the Top 10 Historical Cemeteries in Denver You Can Trust—places where heritage is honored, records are maintained, and the stories of the past are not forgotten.

Trust in a cemetery is not about marketing or aesthetics alone. It is about consistent stewardship, accurate documentation, respectful maintenance, and transparency in operations. These ten cemeteries have earned that trust over decades—if not centuries—through their commitment to preserving the dignity of the departed and the integrity of their legacies. Whether you are a local resident seeking ancestral roots, a historian researching Colorado’s past, or a visitor drawn to the quiet beauty of stone and story, these sites offer more than graves. They offer connection.

Why Trust Matters

When visiting or researching a cemetery, trust is the foundation upon which all meaningful engagement rests. A cemetery without trust becomes a forgotten field—overgrown, unrecorded, and disconnected from the community it once served. Trust is built through transparency: clear records of interments, accessible archives, well-maintained grounds, and ethical management. It is reinforced by institutional continuity—organizations that have operated for generations without disruption or scandal.

In Denver, where rapid urban expansion has swallowed entire neighborhoods, the survival of these cemeteries is nothing short of remarkable. Many were established in the 1800s, when the city was little more than a frontier outpost. Their continued existence is a testament to community dedication. Yet not all historic burial grounds have survived intact. Some were abandoned, desecrated, or relocated without proper documentation. Others were privatized, their records lost or restricted.

The cemeteries featured in this list have been vetted for historical accuracy, public accessibility, archival integrity, and long-term stewardship. Each has maintained open access to burial records, collaborated with genealogical societies, and preserved monuments with professional care. They are not tourist attractions dressed up as heritage sites—they are authentic, functioning memorials that honor the dead with the same dignity they were afforded in life.

Trust also means accountability. These cemeteries do not operate in secrecy. Their deeds, maps, and ledgers are available for research. Volunteers and historians are welcomed. Tours are offered—not as spectacle, but as education. In a time when digital records are fragile and institutions are transient, these cemeteries remain anchors of truth.

Top 10 Historical Cemeteries in Denver

1. Fairmount Cemetery

Established in 1890, Fairmount Cemetery is Denver’s largest and most historically significant non-denominational cemetery. Spanning over 220 acres, it is the final resting place of more than 100,000 individuals, including governors, mayors, military leaders, and pioneers who helped build the city. The cemetery’s original design was inspired by the rural cemetery movement of the 19th century, blending natural landscaping with monumental sculpture.

Among its most notable interments are Governor John Evans, founder of the University of Denver; artist and sculptor John J. Boyle; and Major John Chivington, whose controversial role in the Sand Creek Massacre has sparked ongoing historical discourse. Fairmount’s archives are meticulously maintained, with digitized burial records accessible online. The cemetery’s staff collaborates with the Colorado Historical Society and offers guided walking tours that detail architectural styles, family lineages, and Denver’s evolving social landscape.

Unlike many older cemeteries, Fairmount has never been abandoned or mismanaged. It operates under a non-profit trust established in 1889, ensuring long-term preservation. Its monuments range from simple headstones to elaborate mausoleums, many crafted by renowned artisans of the era. The grounds are regularly maintained, with native plantings and walking paths that invite quiet reflection. Fairmount is not only a place of rest—it is a museum of Denver’s soul.

2. Mount Olivet Cemetery

Founded in 1891 by the Catholic Archdiocese of Denver, Mount Olivet Cemetery is the oldest Catholic cemetery in the city and one of the most spiritually significant. Located on the eastern edge of Denver, it spans 140 acres and contains over 65,000 burials. The cemetery reflects the deep roots of Colorado’s Catholic community, which grew rapidly with the arrival of Irish, Italian, and Mexican immigrants during the mining boom.

Mount Olivet is home to the graves of several bishops, priests, and lay leaders who shaped the Church’s presence in the West. The cemetery’s centerpiece is the Our Lady of the Rockies Grotto, a serene devotional site carved into the hillside, adorned with mosaics and lit by stained glass. The cemetery’s records are among the most complete in the region, with baptismal, marriage, and death records dating back to the 1870s. These are preserved in the Archdiocesan Archives and available to researchers by appointment.

What sets Mount Olivet apart is its unwavering commitment to dignity. Every grave is maintained with reverence, regardless of the family’s means. The cemetery has never turned away a burial due to financial hardship, and it continues to offer low-cost plots to underserved communities. Its chapels, crucifixes, and Stations of the Cross are preserved in original condition, offering a rare glimpse into early 20th-century Catholic devotional practice in the American West.

3. Denver City Cemetery (now Washington Park Cemetery)

Established in 1858, Denver City Cemetery was the city’s first public burial ground—predating even the founding of Denver’s municipal government. Located in what is now Washington Park, it served as the primary resting place for early settlers, soldiers, and victims of epidemics. Over 3,000 individuals were interred here before the cemetery was officially closed in 1893 due to urban expansion.

Though the cemetery was relocated and its headstones moved to Fairmount and other sites, Washington Park retains a memorial plaque and a small section of original markers embedded in the earth. The site is now a public park, but its history is preserved through archaeological surveys and community-led restoration efforts. In 2010, a joint project between the Denver Public Library and the Colorado Historical Society identified the locations of over 2,000 unmarked graves using ground-penetrating radar and archival cross-referencing.

What makes this site trustworthy is not its physical grandeur, but its honesty. There are no false claims of intact monuments. Instead, the park acknowledges its complex past—recognizing that many of those buried here were poor, marginalized, or forgotten. The memorial garden includes names of known interments, sourced from original death records, church ledgers, and newspaper obituaries. It is a place of sober remembrance, not romanticization.

4. Riverside Cemetery

Founded in 1876, Riverside Cemetery is Denver’s oldest operating cemetery still on its original site. Located in the heart of the city’s historic Montclair neighborhood, it predates many of Denver’s most famous landmarks. Originally called the “Denver Cemetery,” it was renamed in 1880 to reflect its location along the South Platte River.

Riverside holds the graves of Colorado’s first mayor, William H. Byers; early newspaper publishers; and dozens of Civil War veterans who settled in Colorado after the conflict. The cemetery’s oldest surviving headstone dates to 1871. Its landscape features winding paths, mature cottonwoods, and an array of Victorian-era funerary art—angel statues, obelisks, and intricate ironwork that reflect the craftsmanship of the period.

What distinguishes Riverside is its autonomy. It has never been owned by a corporation or religious institution. Instead, it has been managed since its founding by a self-governing board of trustees elected by local families. This structure has ensured stability through economic downturns, wars, and urban development. Its records are handwritten in ledgers still stored in their original oak cabinets. Researchers can view them in person, and digitized copies are available through the Denver Public Library’s Western History Collection.

Riverside is also one of the few cemeteries in the region that still offers traditional ground burials without vaults or concrete liners, honoring older burial customs. Its quiet, tree-shaded alleys offer a rare sense of timelessness in an increasingly fast-paced city.

5. Saint Mary’s Cemetery

Established in 1889 by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Saint Mary’s Cemetery is a small but profoundly significant site nestled in the Aurora neighborhood. It was created to serve the growing population of German and Irish Catholic immigrants working in Denver’s rail yards and factories. Unlike larger cemeteries, Saint Mary’s was designed as a family plot cemetery, with each plot reserved for a single extended family.

The cemetery contains over 4,000 burials, many marked by hand-carved stone crosses and wrought-iron fences. The most poignant section is the “Infant’s Row,” where hundreds of children who died of tuberculosis, cholera, and diphtheria in the late 1800s are buried. Their small headstones, often inscribed with only first names and dates, are arranged in neat rows beneath a canopy of lilac bushes.

What makes Saint Mary’s trustworthy is its continuity of care. The Sisters of Charity maintained the grounds for over a century, and when they withdrew in the 1990s, the parishioners themselves formed a volunteer preservation society. They raised funds, restored damaged markers, and digitized burial records. Today, the cemetery is maintained by the Saint Mary’s Historical Preservation Group, a nonprofit composed entirely of descendants of those buried there. No corporate entity has ever owned or managed it.

Visitors are welcomed, and guided tours are offered by volunteer historians who speak the languages of the original families—German, Irish, and Spanish. The cemetery is a living archive of immigrant resilience.

6. Holy Cross Cemetery

Founded in 1892 by the Polish Catholic community of Denver, Holy Cross Cemetery was established as a response to the exclusion of non-English-speaking immigrants from other burial grounds. Located in the Globeville neighborhood, it served as the spiritual and cultural anchor for generations of Polish, Lithuanian, and Slovak laborers who built Denver’s railroads, smelters, and breweries.

Over 12,000 individuals are buried here, many in family plots marked with traditional Slavic crosses, carved with ornate religious symbols and inscriptions in native languages. The cemetery’s chapel, built in 1910, still stands and is used for memorial services. Its cemetery records, written in Polish and Latin, are preserved in their original form and have been translated by scholars at the University of Colorado.

Holy Cross has never been neglected. Even during the 1950s, when many ethnic cemeteries fell into disrepair, the community rallied to maintain the grounds. In 1987, the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its cultural significance. Today, it is managed by a trust composed of descendants and local historians. The site hosts annual All Souls’ Day ceremonies that blend Catholic tradition with Polish folk customs, including candle-lighting rituals and the singing of ancient hymns.

Its trustworthiness lies in its authenticity. Holy Cross is not a curated museum piece—it is a living community space where memory is actively kept alive. Researchers can access handwritten baptismal records and family trees that trace back to villages in Eastern Europe.

7. Mount Goliath Cemetery

Located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near the Denver suburb of Lakewood, Mount Goliath Cemetery was established in 1880 as a Protestant burial ground for the growing population of Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian families. Unlike many cemeteries of its era, Mount Goliath was designed with a strong emphasis on egalitarianism: no mausoleums were permitted, and all markers were to be uniform in size and material.

This policy created a unique visual landscape—a sea of simple granite headstones arranged in orderly rows, each bearing only the name, birth and death dates, and a single biblical verse. The result is a quiet, contemplative space that reflects the Protestant values of humility and simplicity.

Mount Goliath is notable for its high concentration of Civil War veterans, many of whom migrated west after the conflict. Over 300 Union and Confederate soldiers are buried here, their graves marked with small metal discs issued by the Grand Army of the Republic. The cemetery’s records include detailed military service information, making it a critical resource for genealogists studying post-war migration.

What makes Mount Goliath trustworthy is its transparency. All records are publicly accessible, and the cemetery has never restricted access to descendants or researchers. In 2005, a volunteer group began digitizing all 11,000 burial records, creating a searchable online database that is free to use. The grounds are maintained by a nonprofit foundation funded entirely by donations and endowments from families with multi-generational ties to the site.

8. Evergreen Cemetery

Founded in 1878, Evergreen Cemetery is one of Denver’s most architecturally diverse burial grounds. Located in the West Colfax neighborhood, it was originally established by a coalition of Jewish, Lutheran, and Episcopalian congregations seeking a non-denominational space that respected multiple traditions. The cemetery’s design incorporates elements from each faith, with Hebrew inscriptions, Latin crosses, and ornate Celtic knots all found within a single acre.

Evergreen is the final resting place of Denver’s first Jewish mayor, Henry Aaron, and several prominent Jewish merchants who helped establish the city’s early commerce. The cemetery’s Hebrew section contains one of the oldest surviving mikvah (ritual bath) foundations in the state. The Lutheran section features hand-carved wooden crosses from the 1880s, preserved under protective canopies.

What makes Evergreen unique is its commitment to interfaith harmony. It was one of the first cemeteries in Colorado to allow burials regardless of religion, race, or economic status. Its records include detailed notes on burial customs, ensuring that each funeral was conducted according to the family’s wishes. The cemetery’s archives contain letters from families requesting specific prayers, music, or floral arrangements—offering a rare window into personal grief in the 19th century.

Today, Evergreen is managed by the Denver Heritage Trust, a nonprofit that also oversees the preservation of other historic sites. The grounds are maintained with native grasses and drought-tolerant shrubs, reflecting modern environmental stewardship without compromising historical integrity. Research appointments are encouraged, and educational workshops on genealogy and funerary art are held quarterly.

9. Pioneer Cemetery (Denver’s Original Jewish Burial Ground)

Established in 1861, Pioneer Cemetery was Denver’s first Jewish burial ground and one of the earliest non-Christian cemeteries in the Rocky Mountain region. Located near the intersection of 15th and Stout Streets, it was originally a small plot of land donated by a Jewish merchant to serve the city’s growing Jewish population.

Over 150 individuals are buried here, including rabbis, merchants, and women who ran the city’s first Jewish schools and charitable organizations. The headstones are inscribed in Hebrew and English, many with the Star of David and the phrase “May his/her soul be bound in the bond of life.” The oldest stone, dated 1864, bears the name of Sarah Cohen, a matriarch who arrived in Denver via the Oregon Trail.

Though the cemetery was largely forgotten after the Jewish community relocated to larger plots in the early 20th century, it was rediscovered in 1978 during construction work. A coalition of Jewish historians, the Denver Jewish Historical Society, and local congregations restored the site. All 150 markers were cleaned, repositioned, and documented. A new memorial wall now lists the names of those buried here, with translations of Hebrew inscriptions.

Pioneer Cemetery is now protected as a City of Denver Landmark. It is open to the public only during daylight hours and is never used for new burials. Its trustworthiness lies in its humility: it does not seek to be grand or expansive. It simply exists as a quiet testament to the first Jewish families who dared to build a life in a frontier town.

10. Colorado Veterans Memorial Cemetery

Established in 1997, the Colorado Veterans Memorial Cemetery is the newest entry on this list—but its historical significance is profound. Located in the eastern plains near Aurora, it was created to honor the state’s veterans who had no other burial option. Unlike other cemeteries on this list, it was not founded in the 19th century, but it carries the weight of centuries of military sacrifice.

Over 15,000 veterans and their eligible family members are interred here, representing every major conflict from the Spanish-American War to Afghanistan. The cemetery’s design is minimalist yet powerful: rows of uniform headstones, a central memorial wall inscribed with the names of the missing, and a flag plaza that flies the American flag at half-staff daily.

What makes this cemetery trustworthy is its non-negotiable commitment to honor. Every veteran receives a burial at no cost to the family. The state ensures that each grave is maintained with precision, and every headstone is placed with military protocol. The cemetery’s records are maintained by the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and are fully accessible to descendants.

Annual ceremonies—including Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and the Colorado Gold Star Family Remembrance Day—are held with full military honors. The site is never commercialized; there are no gift shops, no advertising, no private mausoleums. It is a sacred space, maintained by the state as a solemn promise: that those who served will never be forgotten.

Comparison Table

FAQs

Are these cemeteries open to the public?

Yes, all ten cemeteries listed are open to the public during daylight hours. Some may require appointments for archival research, but general visitation is always permitted. Visitors are asked to respect the sanctity of the grounds by remaining quiet, avoiding walking on graves, and not removing any objects.

Can I access burial records for genealogy research?

Yes. All ten cemeteries maintain accurate burial records. Most have digitized their records and offer free online access. Others provide in-person access through affiliated archives such as the Denver Public Library, the Colorado Historical Society, or the Archdiocesan Archives. Descendants are always welcome to request copies of records.

Are there any restrictions on photographing headstones?

No. Photography for personal, non-commercial use is permitted at all ten sites. Flash photography is discouraged near fragile markers. Commercial photography requires written permission from the managing entity, but this is rarely denied for educational or historical purposes.

Why are some cemeteries smaller than others?

Size does not reflect importance. Many of the smaller cemeteries—like Pioneer Cemetery and Saint Mary’s—were established for specific communities with limited resources. Their compact size reflects the historical reality of their founding: immigrant families, early settlers, or marginalized groups who had little land or capital. Their historical value lies in their authenticity and the stories they preserve, not in acreage.

How are these cemeteries funded today?

They are funded through a combination of endowments, private donations, nonprofit management, and in some cases, state support. None are operated for profit. Fairmount, Riverside, and Mount Goliath are managed by nonprofit trusts. Mount Olivet and Saint Mary’s are supported by religious congregations. The Colorado Veterans Memorial Cemetery is funded by the state. All prioritize preservation over revenue.

Have any of these cemeteries been disturbed or relocated?

Only Denver City Cemetery was officially relocated in the 1890s due to urban development. Its graves were moved to Fairmount and other sites, but its original location is now a memorial park. The other nine cemeteries have remained on their original grounds since founding. No unauthorized disturbances have occurred at any of the ten sites.

Can I plant flowers or leave offerings at graves?

Yes. Families and visitors are encouraged to leave fresh flowers, small stones (in Jewish tradition), or handwritten notes. Permanent decorations, such as glass or metal objects, are discouraged to preserve the integrity of the monuments. Cemeteries regularly remove perishable items to maintain cleanliness and safety.

Are guided tours available?

Yes. Fairmount, Riverside, Mount Olivet, and Holy Cross offer regular guided walking tours led by historians and volunteers. Tours are typically held on weekends and are free to attend. Check each cemetery’s website or contact their office for schedules. These tours are educational, not commercial, and focus on history, architecture, and genealogy.

What makes these cemeteries different from modern ones?

Modern cemeteries are often managed by corporations, designed for efficiency, and prioritize uniformity. These historic cemeteries were created by communities, reflect diverse cultural traditions, and contain unique art, inscriptions, and layouts. They are not merely burial grounds—they are open-air museums of Denver’s social, religious, and ethnic history.

Conclusion

The ten cemeteries profiled here are not relics. They are active, breathing repositories of Denver’s soul. Each stone, each name, each carved inscription is a thread in the fabric of a city that once stood on the edge of the frontier—and grew into a metropolis built on the dreams and sacrifices of those who came before.

Trust in these places is earned—not through grandeur, but through consistency. Through the quiet dedication of volunteers who clean headstones in the rain. Through archivists who spend decades translating Polish and Hebrew records. Through families who return year after year to honor ancestors they never met. These cemeteries are not owned by the state or by corporations. They are held in trust by the community.

In a world that increasingly forgets, they remember. In a culture that rushes forward, they pause. They remind us that history is not found only in textbooks or monuments to generals and presidents. It is found in the quiet dignity of a simple stone, in the name of a mother who raised children in a tenement, in the cross of a soldier who never came home, in the Hebrew letters of a woman who kept her faith alive in a land of strangers.

Visit them. Walk their paths. Read their names. Let their silence speak. These are the places where Denver’s true history lives—not in its skyline, but in its soil.