Episode 45 - The Irish Miners of Leadville, Colorado and Their Forgotten Graves

Jennie and Dianne are joined by special guest James Walsh who shares the stories and histories of the Irish miners who went to Leadville, Colorado in search of silver. These miners were the bottom of the rung men who were generally shunned by other members of society because of their Irish Catholic heritage. Many of them were buried in the pauper's section of the Evergreen cemetery in Leadville, Colorado. A very large majority of the graves  belong to the children of these miners who died from all manner of illnesses in the 1880s and '90s. James has spent many years researching these miners, their stories, and now is working hard to build and dedicate a brand new, beautiful memorial to these lost men and their families in hopes that their stories may never be forgotten. James tells how the monument is being funded not only by people in the community, but even by the Irish government. Join us as we remember not only these miners, but all those who have worked hard all over the country and throughout the world to support themselves and their families in some of the hardest possible jobs and are buried in ordinary extraordinary cemeteries.