Lucinda J Harlow, Rosita Cemetery, Westcliffe, Colorado

Rosita Cemetery in Westcliffe, Colorado

This is the grave of 

Lucinda J. Harlow

Wife of L.W. Harlow

Born September 25th, 1860

Died March 6th, 1882

Aged 21, died in Rosita, Colorado

Her inscription reads ”At rest in Jesus faithful arms, At rest as in a peaceful bed. Secure from all the dreadful storms, Which round this sinful world are spread”

Her headstone has been placed on a board to slow the crumbling. Several of the stones in the cemetery have been repaired. The trees above offer some protection, but also hold snow and moisture leading to crumbling stones. The stones of the cemetery were lovely. The first burial listed in the cemetery is in 1865. I’ll have more coming from this cemetery very soon. 

Rosita was founded in 1872 and was a short lived but large silver mining town. Once booming to 1,500 residents then quickly declining as the mines depleted. Now an unincorporated community of the town of Westcliffe, the cemetery sits in the heart of the byway. Its namesake comes from the name meaning “little rose” in Spanish due to the roses that bloom there.  

Rosita was mainly composed of stores, a hotel, blacksmith shop, cabins and tents. Having nearly 400 buildings by 1874, and opening a post office. By the early 1880s the silver began to deplete and mining moved to other areas, leaving Rosita to dwindle over time. The post office closed officially in 1966, but there are plenty of residents there that now use the postal code of Westcliffe, Colorado. 

Evidence of times gone are obvious in this “ghost town”. Recently the town’s center cabin was purchased and renovated. There is a great deal of evidence of mining as you descend down into Rosita when coming from the north. What a beautiful not so ghostly town it is now. Full of residents and life.

This cemetery is absolutely a wonderful place to visit.