(LEADVILLE, Colo.) — Deep in the evergreen cemetery of Leadville is a monument with a story that reaches across the Atlantic Ocean.
During the Silver Boom that made Leadville thrive, one-fifth of the town’s population was made up of Irish immigrants. At the time, the working conditions were less than ideal, with little pay unless you struck it rich. The work conditions caused many immigrants to pass away from the elements and other illnesses.
The low pay and the high death rate caused many to be buried in the cemetery in unmarked graves. So, Leadville teamed up with its sister city in Ireland, Allihies, to create a memorial with all the names of those buried there, even the ones who made it just days, to honor their sacrifice.
“We had a huge population of Irish immigrants. In fact, there were the second highest number of Irish immigrants living in the United States were in Leadville, Colorado. The only other place where there were more Irish immigrants was in Boston, Massachusetts,” said Adam Ducharme.
About The Author
