SUN photos/Shari Pierce
A day of documentation and investigation is held on Aug. 17 at the small cemetery on South 10th Street. This cemetery served the Pagosa Springs community and Camp Lewis beginning in the late 1800s. The Town of Pagosa Springs received a grant from the History Colorado State Historical Fund to investigate and understand the history of the site. Aside from grant recipient Ruth E. Lambert with Blue Canyon Cultural Consulting, also assisting in documenting and researching the site are members of the Archuleta County Genealogical Society, the Sarah Platt Decker Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and other members of the public.
Lynnis Steinert works to record the information on the headstone of James Voorhees. Voorhees was born Feb. 25, 1820, and died Aug. 27, 1889. Carolyn Paschal measures and records data relating to a potential burial site. Rebecca Battles studies the headstone and documents information relating to the husband, wife and child of the Howe family, who all passed away in the year of 1892. Recording information relating to a rectangular area surrounded by stones are Dr. Ruth Lambert and Debbie Kinnibrugh. This site may be the site of a grave in which a tree has grown over the years. Shayleen Ottman, a ground-penetrating radar specialist, works to record data to assist in analyzing locating potential grave sites. Measuring, sketching and documenting a row of stones, which may mark the site of graves, is Nancy Carter. The carvings on headstones, such as this one belonging to James H. Voorhees, offer clues to the beliefs that were important to the deceased, whether they be religious or other beliefs.
