This piece is part of a series of blogs titled "Did You Know?" from the Evergreen and Fairview Cemeteries, which aims to inform residents about the rich cultural history and some little-known-facts about Colorado Springs' two oldest, continuously-operated cemeteries.
One of our earliest love stories began here, at the foot of Pikes Peak. It is the story of the deep and enduring love between General William Jackson Palmer and his young bride, Mary Lincoln Mellen Palmer, lovingly known as “Queen.”
William and Mary first met aboard a train traveling between Cincinnati and St. Louis. After Queen returned to her home in Flushing, New York, the two remained in close contact through letters and telegrams. We can easily imagine the declarations of love and the promises exchanged across the miles. Sadly, few of Queen’s letters to William survive, but several of his letters to her remain, offering us a glimpse into their shared dreams.
William wrote often of his plans for the railroad and of the community they would build together at the foot of Pikes Peak. He respected and encouraged Mary’s thoughts and opinions, and the two stood firmly united as partners in both love and vision.
When Queen arrived in the fledgling colony, she immediately set about making the frontier her home. She fell deeply in love with the canyon where they built their residence. Rose Kingsley, visiting from England, wrote of Queen’s enthusiasm as they ventured through the frozen creek to the “Punch Bowl” in Queen’s Canyon. Mary delighted in sharing her love of the land with visitors—those adventurous enough to travel west and those considering investing in the bold dream she and William shared.
Often, Queen entertained guests on her own, as William was frequently miles away on railroad survey expeditions. She formed a special bond with the children of the new colony. Blessed with a fine education herself, she understood its importance and, at just twenty-one years old, founded the first school in Colorado Springs.
Queen also left her mark on the landscape itself. She named many of the rock formations on the grounds of their home at Glen Eyrie. She named streets—Williamette, St. Vrain, Cache la Poudre—after the streams and rivers crossed by their railroad, the Denver and Rio Grande. Her love for William and for their new home never wavered, though her health sadly did.
Like her mother, Queen suffered from a weak heart. The high altitude eventually forced her to seek a milder climate. Queen and two of her daughters returned to New York for a time, but England proved more suitable. William continued to visit her there on business, as evidenced by the birth of their third daughter, Marjory. Sadly, Queen’s health never allowed her to return to the home she loved so dearly at the foot of Pikes Peak.
Mary Lincoln Mellen Palmer died at the age of forty-four. Today, her remains rest beside her beloved General at Evergreen Cemetery, where their love story—one of the earliest and most enduring in Colorado Springs—continues to be remembered.