When smallpox came to a gold camp near Hoosier Pass, the women all went to Fairplay – except for one. They called her Silverheels. We don’t know her real name, but we do know she was known for her moves in silver-heeled slippers at the dance hall where she worked. And we know that unlike those who fled when the epidemic hit in 1861, she stayed, paid for doctors and cared for the sick and dying. Then she got the virus herself. Then she vanished.
Years later, a woman came to walk the cemetery. She was dressed elegantly and wore a heavy veil. She returned the following year, and again the year after. No one saw her face, but they were certain it was "the angel of mercy of South Park," come to put flowers on the graves of departed friends. Her true identity was never disclosed, but maps still carry the name of a nearby thirteener they named for her: Mount Silverheels.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
