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Woodland Park Cemetery

Cut-off Date: June 13, 2001
Names: 826
Volunteers: Mary Davis, Tom Frazier, Marjorie Kline, Ardelle Koperski, Jane and Ernie Newman, Marta Norton, Alan and Deborah R. Smith, Linda Vixie, Kay Winter
Special Thanks: City of Woodland Park, Cindy Morse, Cheryl Rasmussen

The City of Woodland Park was incorporated in 1891, and by then land had been set aside for a municipally owned cemetery. The earliest interment is that of James Mead, who died October 23, 1885. Many other early pioneers of this mountain community are interred here.

The cemetery is located up a steep hill behind McDonald's on the eastern side of Woodland Park. From Highway 24, turn north onto Baldwin Street, then immediately right onto Short Street, which leads to the cemetery entrance. According to GPS-derived geolocation (accurate to within 10 meters), the cemetery's coordinates are 38°59'22.1"N and 105°02'43.5"W.

Sexton records are maintained by the Woodland Park City Clerk, P.O. Box 9007, 220 W. South Ave., Woodland Park, CO 80866; phone: (719) 687-9246. Hours of cemetery visitation are sunrise to sunset. Featuring natural landscaping, the cemetery includes evergreen trees, wild grasses, and flowers. Wildlife includes the attractive tassle-eared Abert's squirrel and many species of mountain birds.

Notable "residents" include William "Rusty" Marion, a cowboy singer/songwriter who wrote "Rock Me to Sleep in My Saddle," which was recorded by Roy Rogers. With greater notoriety is Jim Hood, a fugitive wanted by the FBI who was shot in 1979 after running a blockade. Cemetery personnel recall that his biker associates filled the cemetery and said they would bury Jim, so the cemetery personnel left. When they returned, there was a mound of earth large enough to suggest Jim may have been buried with his motorcycle.

The cemetery was previously transcribed and published in Teller County, Colorado, Church and Cemetery Records by Carol Loudermilk-Edwards (Westminster, Colo.: Carol Loudermilk-Edwards, 1983).

Additional resources on Woodland Park names

Woodland Park historical timeline

Woodland Park Cemetery data

Woodland Park Cemetery map

PIO = Pioneer section
PV  = Pike View section