Entry No. 164 — the Denver file — filed under: Woman in Black
Central City Masonic Cemetery (Woman in Black)
This 1860s gold-rush-era cemetery sits atop a knoll overlooking the mountain towns of Central City and Black Hawk, holding 373 graves of miners and Freemasons. Every April 5 and November 1, a mysterious woman in black satin is said to appear at sunset to lay flowers on the grave of John Edward Cameron — and when witnesses have tried to approach her, she vanishes on the hillside.
The story
High above the casino strip on a knoll overlooking Central City and Black Hawk sit 373 graves belonging to 1860s gold-rush miners and Freemasons. The grounds fit the template of a Victorian mountain cemetery—decaying stone borders, lodge emblems, and pine trees—until you locate the tall marble marker of John Edward Cameron, a young bachelor who died on November 1.
According to Gilpin County lore, every April 5 and November 1 at sunset, a mysterious figure dressed in black satin ascends the ridge to lay flowers on Cameron's headstone. In one long-circulated account, a group of onlookers gathered at the grave at twilight to test the tale; when a witness tried to approach and grab her dress, she evaporated onto the brushy hillside.
Whether the visitor was a secret lover who walked over from Bald Mountain in the 1880s or pure high-country folklore, the legend has persisted for over a century. Today, Cameron's headstone remains a quiet shrine on an isolated ridge, occasionally decorated with flower pots left by curious travelers.
What it's like
You wind uphill out of Central City until the asphalt turns into a dirt road that terminates at a small, unpaved parking area. Early autumn brings golden aspens against the mountain backdrop, though winter snow and mud make the unpaved climb treacherous without four-wheel drive. The graveyard is quiet, solitary, and exposed to the mountain winds; locate John Cameron's stone near the center, keep to the marked paths, and ensure you head back down the dirt road before total dark.
The move: Visit around sunset on April 5 or November 1 to witness (or seek) the Lady in Black at John Edward Cameron's grave, then walk the historic headstones reading the stories of 1860s gold-rush miners before heading into Central City's Victorian-era casino district for dinner and a ghost-tour of the nearby opera house.
📍 Before you go The cemetery crowns a hillside above town, reached by following Central City's main streets uphill until the pavement gives way to dirt — a small lot waits at the end, though that unpaved stretch turns rough in snow, so warmer months (and especially the golden-aspen autumn) are by far the easiest time to come. It's one of a cluster of old Gilpin County burial grounds, quiet and solitary; treat it as the working historic site it is, leave before dark, and look for John Cameron's headstone with its flower pot. Below the knoll, Central City's restored Victorian casino-and-opera-house district makes the natural pairing for the rest of the night.
- 📍 Black Hawk
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Masonic Cemetery, Spring St, Central City, CO 80427 (hillside between Central City and Black Hawk, Gilpin County)
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Knights of Pythias Cemetery — Walk right over to this neighboring 19th-century fraternal burial ground on the same ridge, where iron-fenced plots sit tucked into the pine woods.
- Central City Opera House — Head down the hill into town to see the stone 1878 opera house built by Welsh and Cornish miners, where historic ghost tours run through the auditorium.
- The Face on the Barroom Floor — Finish the outing in Central City at the Teller House saloon to view the mysterious portrait painted directly onto the saloon floorboards in 1936.
Good to know
When is the Lady in Black supposed to appear?
Legend states she appears at sunset on April 5 and November 1 at the grave of John Edward Cameron.
How do you get to the cemetery?
Drive uphill through Central City's main streets until the pavement ends; follow the dirt track to the small parking lot at the top of the knoll.
What should visitors keep in mind when visiting?
It is an active historic burial site on a dirt road that turns rough in snow, so visit in warmer months or autumn, leave before dark, and do not disturb the headstones.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: kool1079.com · usghostadventures.com · Only In Your State · Reddit · legendsofamerica.com
last checked: 2026-06-07