Florissant Cemetery
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Cut-off Date: July 9, 2001
Names: 188
Volunteers: Ellen Chestnutt, Don Erickson, Jim
Laushine, Shirley Maresko, Bev Millett, Linda Vixie
Special Thanks: Les Heinemann, Jere Joiner, Jan
Cummings
Florissant Cemetery is located southeast of the town of Florissant. To reach the cemetery, turn south from Highway 24 at Florissant onto County Road 1. Drive 0.8 mile and turn left at Upper Twin Rock Road. Drive 0.6 mile and the entrance to the cemetery is on the right. Visible from the road is the sign "God's Acres." According to GPS-derived geolocation (accurate to within 10 meters), the cemetery's coordinates are 38°55'57.4"N and 104°16'24.0"W.
The town of Florissant was founded in 1870 by James Castello and incorporated on July 7, 1891. The cemetery association was established on August 27, 1886, with son Frank F. Castello, John Wilson, and Valentine Hamman as the first trustees. Featuring natural landscaping, the grounds include aspens and ponderosa pine, wildflowers, natural grasses, and bushes. Abert's squirrels and other wildlife, such as deer, frolic in the area. Many graves are unmarked, especially in the historical section.
In 1987, the Florissant Heritage Association was formed and was given legal responsibility for the active cemetery, under the presidency of Jere Joiner. The association has since changed its name to the Pikes Peak Historical Society. Sexton records are maintained by Jan Cummings, 1359 Kiowa Road, Florissant, CO 80816; phone: (719) 748-3629. 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) and Florissant Cemetery, Florissant, CO, 1877-1994, "God's Acre" self-published in 1994 by Mildred L. Smith. See also Florissant, Colorado, Pioneer Cemetery: The Stories Behind the Tombstones by Laura Moncrief and Nancy M. Boyd (Florissant, Colo.: Laura Lee Moncrief, 2009).
Lots generally run counterclockwise in units of four or six from the northeast corner of the block. Plots, which hold two or three graves, increase north to south.
Florissant Cemetery data (by plot)
Florissant Cemetery sexton's map
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