Entry No. 112 — the Denver file — filed under: haunted

Alferd Packer's Grave

“reportedly lived out his last years as a vegetarian”

Colorado's only convicted cannibal is buried in plain sight in a front row of Littleton Cemetery, marked with a plain government-issued veteran's headstone for his 1862 Civil War regiment, no mention of the five companions he ate to survive the winter of 1874 in the San Juans. He did his time, got paroled to Jefferson County, and reportedly lived out his last years as a vegetarian. The grave sits a couple of rows in from S. Prince St, almost no signage, and you'll walk right past it unless you know the row.

The move: Bring a thermos of coffee and find the headstone together, then walk five minutes up Prince Street into Historic Downtown Littleton for lunch and trade your favorite morbid-history facts.

📍 Before you go Littleton Cemetery is a large, active cemetery off S Prince St — enter and park along the interior drive nearest the road-side section, then go on foot, since nothing points the way. Aim for snow-free months and morning light: the marker is a low, flat veteran's stone that all but vanishes under Front Range snow or midday glare, so give yourself time to scan the rows. It's daylight-only, and funerals may be underway — keep voices low and stay off the plots. Afterward, Historic Downtown Littleton sits a short walk up Prince Street, where Main Street's cafes, the free Littleton Museum, and the RTD light-rail station all cluster.

• 📍 Littleton
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Littleton Cemetery, 6155 S Prince St, Littleton, CO 80120 — front rows near the road just west of where S Prince St meets W Parkhill Ave; look in the closest row to the road, roughly second from the gate

Hours: Open during cemetery daylight hours; free, self-guided, no ticket. Be respectful — it's an active cemetery.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Roadside America · museum.littletonco.gov

last checked: 2026-06-07