Entry No. 95 — the Denver file — filed under: history
Grave of Silas Soule
Silas Soule was the Union cavalry officer who, at Sand Creek in 1864, ordered his men to hold fire and refused to take part in the massacre of around 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho — then testified to the truth of it, and was assassinated on a downtown Denver street weeks later. His grave isn't a monument: it's a plain government-issue soldier's headstone in Section 27 of Riverside, Denver's oldest operating cemetery (1876), tucked in the far northeast corner south of the flagpole, easy to walk right past. The Cheyenne still decorate it out of respect, and every fall it's the starting point of the Sand Creek Spiritual Healing Run from this grave to the massacre site. Riverside itself is a half-forgotten National Historic District along the Brighton industrial corridor that most Denverites have never set foot in.
The story
In November 1864, Union Captain Silas Soule ordered Company D of the 1st Colorado Cavalry to hold their fire at Sand Creek, refusing Colonel John Chivington's orders to slaughter around 230 peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho people under a white flag. When Soule testified to Congress about the brutal massacre, he sealed his own fate. Five weeks later, while serving as provost marshal in downtown Denver, an assassin shot him dead at 15th and Arapahoe Streets on April 23, 1865. He was just 26 years old.
His body was laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery, Denver's oldest operating cemetery (established 1876), today boxed in by rail yards, industrial lots, and I-70 overpasses along the Brighton Boulevard corridor. Don't expect a grand monument or a fenced mausoleum. In Section 27, in the far northeast corner, sits a weathered, standard-issue government military headstone that simply reads: 'S S Soule Capt Co D 1 Colorado Cav 1838 1865.' Tucked a few yards south of the flagpole, it's so unassuming you could easily walk right past it without realizing who lies beneath.
While the city moved on, the Cheyenne and Arapaho never forgot his moral stance. Today, the headstone remains an active place of tribute, decorated with tobacco ties, coins, beads, and stone offerings. Every fall, the grave serves as the starting gathering point for the annual Sand Creek Spiritual Healing Run, where descendants gather to honor the captain who refused to murder their ancestors before running hundreds of miles to the massacre site.
What it's like
Visiting Riverside Cemetery is a quiet, unvarnished walk through a dry, 77-acre National Historic District that runs wild, unwatered, and largely unstaffed. The main entrance near 58th Avenue and the South Platte River has shifted over the years, so follow posted gate signs rather than an old map pin. Because there is no welcome desk or staff member to guide you, print or screenshot a section map before heading out. Walk to Section 27 in the far northeast corner and find the flagpole—Soule's plain headstone sits a few yards to the right. Midsummer brings hot, shadeless heat, making spring or autumn afternoons far more pleasant. Keep your voice low, and treat any gifts left on the headstone as sacred offerings to be left undisturbed.
The move: Go on a quiet weekday: print the section map first, find the headstone in Section 27, then walk the rest of Riverside's 1876 grounds — it's a slow, reflective, slightly off-the-grid history walk rather than a light outing.
📍 Before you go Riverside sits along the Brighton Blvd industrial corridor northeast of downtown; the entrance has shifted over the years near the South Platte, so follow the posted gate signage rather than an old pin. There's no staffed welcome desk to point the way, so print or screenshot a section map before you arrive. Aim for Section 27 in the far northeast corner: the plain headstone is a few yards right of the flagpole as you face the back fence, easy to walk past. This is a working historic cemetery, so keep voices low and read any decorations left on the grave as offerings, not litter. The grounds run wild and largely unwatered, so spring and fall are most pleasant; midsummer is hot, dry, and shadeless. Pair it with a meal or coffee in nearby RiNo afterward.
- 📍 Swansea / Brighton Blvd corridor (Riverside Cemetery)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Riverside Cemetery, 5201 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216 (Section 27, far northeast corner, south of the flagpole)
Hours: Riverside Cemetery open daily 8am-5pm. Grave is unmarked by signage; bring/print a section map. Sand Creek Spiritual Healing Run gathers here annually in fall (Oct/Nov).
Pair it with
- Riverside Cemetery — You're already standing on the grounds of Denver's oldest operating cemetery (1876), so take time to explore the rest of this 77-acre, industrial-surrounded National Historic District.
- Riverside Cemetery Block 12 — Denver's Forgotten Potters Field — Walk across Riverside's dry grounds to Block 12, the unwatered potter's field where thousands of early Denver's destitute residents were buried without headstones.
- Forney Museum of Transportation — Head 1.4 miles south along the Brighton Boulevard corridor to wander through a 70,000-square-foot warehouse packed with over 800 historic vehicles.
- Fort Greene — Drive under two miles into Globeville to wind down at this signless neighborhood speakeasy operating inside an 1880s former venue.
Good to know
Where exactly is Silas Soule's grave inside Riverside Cemetery?
It is located in Section 27, in the far northeast corner of the cemetery, a few yards south (to the right as you face the back fence) of the flagpole.
Are there staff or guided tours available at the cemetery?
No, Riverside Cemetery has no staffed visitor center or on-site tour guides, so you must bring a section map and locate the site on your own.
Why are there coins, beads, and cloth left on the headstone?
These are ceremonial offerings left by Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal members and respectful visitors honoring Soule's refusal to participate in the Sand Creek Massacre. Leave them untouched.
What are the operating hours for Riverside Cemetery?
Riverside Cemetery is open daily to visitors from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Wikipedia · friendsofriversidecemetery.org
last checked: 2026-06-07