Riverside Cemetery — Neglected Pioneer Cemetery Losing Its Dead to Industrial Decay

Hemmed in by rail yards, industrial lots, and the roar of I-70, Denver's oldest operating cemetery is quietly dying twice — its 1876 grounds lost their irrigation water rights in 2001, so 67,000-plus graves now bake under browning grass and crumbling Victorian monuments. Buried here is Clara Brown, the freed slave and pioneer philanthropist who became one of Colorado's first prominent Black women, alongside roughly a thousand veterans. The state put it on its 'Most Endangered Places' list, and walking it you understand why: it's a grand pioneer necropolis the city simply grew away from. Almost no one comes out here, which is exactly what makes it worth the trip.

The move: Pack water and do a slow, respectful weekend wander reading headstones — find Clara Brown's grave, then debrief over coffee somewhere on the way back into town. Somber, quiet, and conversation-rich.

• 📍 Elyria-Swansea / Adams County border
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 5201 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216 (Elyria-Swansea, near the Adams County line)

Hours: Open daytime hours (generally daylight; office weekdays). Confirm via the Fairmount/Riverside office before visiting; it's an active cemetery, so visit respectfully.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3

Verified 2026-06-07.