Cheesman Park in Denver

Murder victims and anyone killed in an accident were buried in the worst section of the cemetery, which brings to mind, why were the VICTIMS of a murderer or someone having an accident, put in the poorest, worst section of the cemetery?? There's something wrong with that picture!

The respect that Wm. Larimar had envisioned for the cemetery never appeared, instead it was known as "boot hill" or "the old bone yard". As Denver began to flourish and fortunes were made in gold and silver mining, the real estate around the cemetery was sold and the very wealthy built their homes there. (Note: Why would they want to build across the street from a cemetery??)
Then, as often happens, they began to complain about the cemetery The city fathers found the names the cemetery was being called, a huge embarrassment and decided to do something about it. So, they re-named the cemetery "City Cemetery" in 1873. The cemetery was an eyesore. It had grown over, pretty much reverting back to nature, tombstones had fallen over, the prairie dogs had built a small town there, and cattle were being allowed to graze there. The rich began burying their dead at the Riverside and Fairlawn cemeteries, and City cemetery was left to the paupers, criminals, transients and victims of small pox and typhus.

The ownership of the cemetery went from Larimar to a man named John J. Walley, who decided to go into the undertaking business. He did little to improve the cemetery and the wealthy were complaining more and more about it. They were really putting the pressure on city government to do something about it. So....city officials pulled a fast one over on Walley. It was "discovered" by someone high up in government on the national level, that the area of the cemetery was located on was part of an Indian Treaty dated prior to 1860 and as such, the property was owned by the U.S. government. In 1890 the U.S. sold the cemetery to the city of Denver for $200.00.