Saturday, March 28, 2015

Greenland Open Space 3-28-15

Almost 9 miles in today's hike/walk around Kipp's Loop and the territorial road. (42.5 runtotal)  About the graves:

Edward Thomas Kipps died around 1890 of tuberculosis. Buried in an abandoned cemetery (since 1920's, most graves moved elsewhere) along the Kipps loop.


Found a post about this old cemetery online - called Greenmount and it used to serve Palmer Lake until the 1920's or so: "Two graves are still visible, but only one has a readable marker. That grave is surrounded by an impressive 18-by-20-foot iron fence and gate. The granite marker is over six feet tall and reads: Edward Thomas - Beloved Husband of Louisa Kipps - Born Sep 7th 1861 - Aged 28 Years - He is not dead but sleepeth - E. Kipps - London England. The actual grave is surrounded by shaped cement blocks. Four mature spruce trees are within the fence boundaries. The other visible grave is also surrounded by an iron fence approximately 10 by 10 feet. Several large moss-covered rocks within the fenced area appear as though they may at one time have formed a headstone and marker. Unlike the larger grave, there is no gate. The smaller grave is located approximately 160 feet northeast of the Kipps grave. Information at the Palmer Lake Museum and from a longtime resident indicates several other unmarked graves are in this area: supposedly a Liebcapp baby (whose father was a Santa Fe Railroad agent), Vance Chase (who lived on a ranch near Ben Lomond), and another baby whose Mexican father was a railroad trackhand. Some speculate that Dr. Thompson, Palmer Lake developer and builder of the Estemere Victorian Estate, is also buried here in an unmarked grave."
Looking around, we found possible evidence of a few other grave sites beside the two fenced ones. It is unclear who is in the second one without a headstone. Although, as you'll see in the pictures below, someone has added a monument there to a local family.


Western Meadowlark



first wildflowers this spring - Pasque flowers



Kipps grave


unknown grave, with addition of Dalton Family memorial









2nd wildflower of spring - Sandwort!


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