--- title: "About Our Historic Jewish Cemetery in Lakewood, CO | Golden Hill" description: "The history of Golden Hill Cemetery: a Jewish cemetery on West Colfax Avenue where tuberculosis patients of the Jewish Consumptives Relief Society were laid to rest." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Cemetery", "@id": "https://goldenhillcemetery.com/#organization", "name": "Golden Hill Cemetery", "alternateName": "The Hill", "description": "Golden Hill Cemetery is a historic Orthodox Jewish cemetery in Lakewood, Colorado, established at the turn of the 20th century and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.", "telephone": "+1-303-956-5163", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "12000 W Colfax Ave", "addressLocality": "Denver", "addressRegion": "CO", "postalCode": "80215", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": { "@type": "State", "name": "Colorado" }, "openingHoursSpecification": [ { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": [ "Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday" ], "opens": "08:00", "closes": "17:00" } ], "employee": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neal Price", "jobTitle": "Executive Director", "telephone": "+1-303-956-5163" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lee Rossow", "jobTitle": "Groundskeeper" } ], "award": "Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1995)" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "About Our Historic Jewish Cemetery in Lakewood, CO", "about": "Golden Hill Cemetery, a historic Jewish cemetery in Lakewood, Colorado", "publisher": { "@id": "https://goldenhillcemetery.com/#organization" }, "mentions": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neal Price", "jobTitle": "Executive Director" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lee Rossow", "jobTitle": "Groundskeeper" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeanne Abrams", "jobTitle": "Director, Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Noel", "jobTitle": "History professor, University of Colorado Denver" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Charles Spivak", "description": "Founder of the Jewish Consumptives Relief Society" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "About Us", "item": "/about-us" } ] } ] --- Donors: after making your donation, complete the [acknowledgement letter form](/donate) for your tax records. [(303) 956-5163](tel:+13039565163) [Logo Golden Hill Cemetery ](/) [Home](/) Explore The Cemetery - [About Us The history behind Golden Hill ](/about-us) - [Location Visiting Lakewood, Colorado 80215 ](/location) Visit & Support - [Donate Donor acknowledgement letter ](/donate) - [Contact Questions, comments and plots ](/contact) ![Sunlit rows of headstones at Golden Hill Cemetery in Lakewood, Colorado](/__l5e/assets-v1/72485ae1-6e8c-4693-bc81-8dbab17c3541/gh1.webp) Preserve a century of Jewish heritage Golden Hill is maintained entirely by donations. All contributions are tax-deductible. [Donate](/donate) [Contact](/contact)[(303) 956-5163](tel:+13039565163)[Donate](/donate) [Home](/)[About Us](/about-us)[Location](/location)[Contact](/contact)[Donate](/donate) # About Our Historic Jewish Cemetery in Lakewood, CO In the late 1800s and early 1900s, America was ravaged by "white death." Tuberculosis was so feared that patients were sent to remote sanatoriums and, at death, were often buried separately from others. Every day, tens of thousands of drivers pass within feet of one such plot at Golden Hill Cemetery, a historic Jewish cemetery in Lakewood, CO, at 12000 W. Colfax Ave. Partially hidden by brush and weeds and separated from the main cemetery, roughly 200 tombstones dot a small hillside less than a stone's throw from the busy street. > "Most of the people buried on the hill were paupers. If you look at the records, there's almost 800 people actually buried there, but only a couple hundred tombstones." > > — Neal Price, executive director of Golden Hill Cemetery The nonprofit cemetery runs almost entirely from donations, and maintained by groundskeeper Lee Rossow and his staff. ## The History Behind Golden Hill Many of the dead were Jewish immigrants with tuberculosis who fled the crowded living conditions of the East Coast to regain strength and health at one of two regional Jewish sanatoriums. Medical practice at the time said tuberculosis could be cured with sunshine, fresh air, and rest. The Colorado climate was viewed as ideal for curing tuberculosis, and patients would often be rolled outdoors in winter to breathe in the cold air. National Jewish Hospital opened in 1899 on East Colfax Avenue and catered largely to German reform Jews with a less severe form of tuberculosis. Those in the advanced stages or near death ended up at the Jewish Consumptives Relief Society in the area of the shopping center that now houses Casa Bonita on West Colfax Avenue; most had fled extreme poverty in eastern Europe. > "The two hospitals both did wonderful work but had different philosophies and outcomes. They were both free of charge, but only JCRS took patients in all stages of tuberculosis." > > — Jeanne Abrams, Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society director ## The Historic Site Then and Now Many of the dead from the relief society were buried at Golden Hill with help from benevolent groups, which raised money for the treatment and burial of indigent people. The most well-known tombstone at Golden Hill marks where the eccentric founder of the relief society, Dr. Charles Spivak, is partially buried, Abrams said. > "He was beloved by patients for doing special acts of kindness. During the terrible blizzard of 1911, he snowshoed in from Denver and brought flour because he was afraid the patients may not have bread. He had his (body parts) buried there to be close to the patients." > > — Jeanne Abrams She added the rest of his body was sent to Israel. Price said the cemetery still has around 20 burials a year. Surrounding land owned by Golden Hill has space at that rate to last more than 100 years. > "It's probably our most impressive reminder of a Jewish presence here that dates back to the gold rush. Jews were among the first Europeans to settle here, and when you see those thousands of graves, you're reminded of that." > > — Tom Noel, history professor at the University of Colorado Denver ![Historic upright headstone with a stone grave border along a shaded path at Golden Hill Cemetery](/__l5e/assets-v1/77057522-6d8f-4094-aee6-bcb674b188f0/gh4.webp) ## Help preserve this history The cemetery runs almost entirely on donations. All contributions are tax-deductible. [Donate](/donate) ## Stay connected with Golden Hill Join our mailing list for preservation news and occasional appeals supporting the care of the grounds. Your name (optional)Email address Join the mailing list Occasional updates and appeals from Golden Hill Cemetery. Unsubscribe any time. Golden Hill Cemetery A historic Orthodox Jewish cemetery in Lakewood, Colorado, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and maintained entirely by donations. ## Visit 12000 W Colfax Ave Denver, CO 80215 [(303) 956-5163](tel:+13039565163) ## Hours Sunday - Friday, 8 a.m. - Sunset. Closed on Saturday and Major Jewish Holidays Office hours 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ## Pages - [Home](/) - [About Us](/about-us) - [Location](/location) - [Contact](/contact) - [Donate](/donate) © 2026 Golden Hill Cemetery. All rights reserved. Made with love ❤️ by [HEARD](https://heardmarketing.io) [Call now](tel:+13039565163)[Donate](/donate)