Coffin Races
Thunder … rain ... mud... A coffin breaks loose from the earth and tumbles into Manitou Springs. Inside, the remains of Emma Crawford, who came to Colorado in 1889, hoping the sunshine and clear air would cure her tuberculosis. Two years later – she succumbed, with a dying wish to be buried on the summit of Red Mountain. A reburial plus four decades of storms and erosion ultimately sent her coffin tumbling downhill. The discovery of a skull led investigators to a macabre scene: casket handles, a nameplate, and scattered bones.
Over time, the legend grew, and in 1995 inspired the Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Parade. The weekend before every Halloween, elaborately decorated coffins on wheels roll down Manitou Avenue, each with a costumed "Emma" aboard. From tragedy to tradition, her legendary slide now inspires community spirit.
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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. See more postcards.
