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Colorado Vignette - Ghosts

October is the time to look at some of the more colorful stories of Colorado's past. One such legend will be lived again in Manitou Springs on October 26 with the Emma Crawford Coffin Races.

Emma Crawford lived in Manitou Springs around the turn of the century. She, like many others, came to the area for its healing springs and clear dry air for her tuberculosis. Emma was a spiritualist and spent many hours gazing at the mountains and looking for her Indian guide. She was fascinated by the Indian lore. She became obsessed with Red Mountain and spoke of her fervent desire to climb Red Mountain. Her loved ones were of course opposed to her considering such a thing in her frail condition. Their concern seemed to challenge Emma and one summer afternoon she slipped away and made the rugged climb to the top of red mountain, she tied her scarf to a pinion tree at the summit. She was exhilarated by her triumphant, and announced her desire to be buried under the tree at the top of Red Mountain. Emma died in the Spring of 1890. Her heartbroken lover was determined to grant Emma's wish and after much travail, took all day to put Emma to rest at the summit of Red Mountain. Over time, the elements, rain, snow, freezing temperatures and spring thaws washed Emma's remains off the top of Red Mountain. Every once in a while, you'll hear a story of a beautiful young woman in Victorian fashion being seen with an Indian brave on Red Mountain. In Georgetown, an 1873 building is haunted by one or more spirits of Georgetown's past.

Most notable is Edward Bainbridge, an ill tempered Scotsman who lived in Georgetown in the mid 1800's. Bainbridge was a reckless man who had a fondness for prostitutes, gambling and drunkenness. In 1867 a card game between Bainbridge and John Martin , with a can of oysters as the prize, took a bad turn when Bainbridge lost the game. He drew his revolver and shot Martin in the face. A vigilante committee was formed and went to where Bainbridge was being held, hurled him from the window, then dragged him to a nearby tree at a place known as Point of Rocks, hoisted him up and hanged him. Before he died, Bainbridge cursed the group and swore to "haunt all of you and all your kin after you." According to the legend, Bainbridge was the first person to be interred in Georgetown's new cemetery, just below the Points of Rocks. Soon someone dug up the body and sold the corpse to a doctor in nearby Central City. Bainbridge has kept his promise and reports of his escapades have continued over the years. The tree where he was hung would shake in a frenzy.

In April 1887, exactly 20 years after the hanging, he appeared again. Gracie Mills, a 14 year old who had come to Points of Rocks looking for her kitten, saw a bearded man sitting on the ground. She ask him if he had seen her kitten, but as she came nearer she saw a rope around his neck and realized she could see through him. He asked her for a can of oysters.

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