This weekend I went to the Emma Crawford Coffin Races in Manitou Springs to support our Walter Drake team. Here's how the local newspaper describes it:
Emma Crawford lived in Manitou Springs at the turn of the century, arriving with the hopes that the famous drinking Mineral Springs would help with a cure for her tuberculosis. Sadly, in the summer of 1890 Emma died quite young, just before she was to marry Mr. Hildebrand, an engineer on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Her wishes were to be laid to rest on top of Red Mountain. Her heartbroken fiancee and eleven other men began the arduous task her carrying Emma's coffin up to the top of Red Mountain. It took them all day, working two shifts to scale the 7200 foot Summit. In 1929, after years of stormy weather on the granite mountain the granite gave way and Emma's remains were washed down the side of Red Mountain. Emma was later buried in the Manitou Springs Cemetery in an unmarked grave. An official grave site was granted to her in 2004 to honor her life. Now every year in late October, Manitou Springs remembers this beautiful young woman who loved her town and her Red Mountain with this unique festival.
Each year there is a parade of the coffins and then they race each other up a section of the main street in town, pushed by 4 "pallbearers" and with an Emma laying in the coffin. My boss and 2 co-workers were part of the team and they spent many hours repainting and revising the coffin they had raced the year before. I'd never been to the race so it was fun to go support someone I knew and to see how many people actually turned out to this somewhat quirky event in the small town just west of Colorado Springs, at the foot of Pike's Peak. Our team completed the 250-yard run in 39.2 seconds, finishing in 16th place out of 49 entries. Not bad!
Emma Crawford lived in Manitou Springs at the turn of the century, arriving with the hopes that the famous drinking Mineral Springs would help with a cure for her tuberculosis. Sadly, in the summer of 1890 Emma died quite young, just before she was to marry Mr. Hildebrand, an engineer on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Her wishes were to be laid to rest on top of Red Mountain. Her heartbroken fiancee and eleven other men began the arduous task her carrying Emma's coffin up to the top of Red Mountain. It took them all day, working two shifts to scale the 7200 foot Summit. In 1929, after years of stormy weather on the granite mountain the granite gave way and Emma's remains were washed down the side of Red Mountain. Emma was later buried in the Manitou Springs Cemetery in an unmarked grave. An official grave site was granted to her in 2004 to honor her life. Now every year in late October, Manitou Springs remembers this beautiful young woman who loved her town and her Red Mountain with this unique festival.
Each year there is a parade of the coffins and then they race each other up a section of the main street in town, pushed by 4 "pallbearers" and with an Emma laying in the coffin. My boss and 2 co-workers were part of the team and they spent many hours repainting and revising the coffin they had raced the year before. I'd never been to the race so it was fun to go support someone I knew and to see how many people actually turned out to this somewhat quirky event in the small town just west of Colorado Springs, at the foot of Pike's Peak. Our team completed the 250-yard run in 39.2 seconds, finishing in 16th place out of 49 entries. Not bad!
3 comments:
I love crazy home town events like this and what a neat story!! I am glad you were there to take it in and get the Springs Spirit!!
Jen, I knew that was you just by your profile, your are the prettiest pall bearer I have seen. What a fun thing to do and a great finish.
Mom
I am in love
With Roxey
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