CENTRAL CITY — A Valentine’s event in Central City brought together romance, heartbreak, and some cautionary tales about falling in love.

The Gilpin Historical Society held its first Valentine’s Creepy Crawl on February 7 at Monte Lobo, putting a seasonal spin on their popular fall event.

This time, instead of walking among headstones, guests gathered indoors to hear five live performances of real love stories. Each story was based on local history and had its own dark twist.

Anyone who’s been to the October Creepy Crawl knows the unfortunate trend often found in local history: Happy endings are rare. 

Macabre tales of love and loss

The evening opened with a tale set on Pine Street, where a miner named Jack Williams fell hard for a woman from Central's red light district. She was known as Madame Rose, and her transactional affection was never meant to be permanent.

As jealousy and tension grew inside the district, a group of people lured him behind a shed under the promise of a private meeting. There, the confrontation turned deadly, ending with Williams's throat cut and a panicked effort by the group to hide the body in the cemetery.

Another story followed former Gilpin County treasurer Christopher Trezise, portrayed by Mike Keeler, whose unrequited love spiraled into obsession and violence.

The performance blended dark humor with tragedy, ending with a cautionary reminder about heartbreak, jealousy, and the dangers of mixing romance with firearms.

Robbie Zmuda portrayed Emily Smith, narrating from a book as she recounted the life of her son Frank Smith, a wealthy heir whose romances and excess eventually led to scandal and tragedy.

Despite money and status, his marriage failed, but his romantic pursuits continued. After being rejected by another woman, his life spiraled downward and ended with his death from a gunshot that many suspected was suicide, even though family members tried to frame it as an accident.

Told from a mother’s perspective, it showed how even privilege could not protect someone from the consequences of love gone wrong.

The next tale followed a carpenter by the name of John Rice from Rollinsville, whose marriage quickly unraveled into violence.

Actor Chuck Roberts tells the tale of John Rice, who confused authorities by telling them different stories of where he hid his wife's body.

Photo by Mindy Leary

He described his wife as “shrewish and nagging” and said she liked "nightlife and spending beyond their means. " According to his confession, the murder happened during a loud fight fueled by frustration and anger. He ultimately admitted that he shot his wife during the argument.

Rice gave authorities a different version of events every time he confessed.

First, he claimed the crime happened in Gilpin County. Then Boulder County. Then somewhere along the roadside. At one point, he even insisted it happened in Albuquerque, sending investigators on a wild search far from home. 

In the end, the truth emerged. The victim’s body had been hidden in a mine shaft near Ward, leaving local sheriffs arguing over jurisdiction.

Perhaps the most surprising story featured a theatrical performer whose disappearance caused a near riot among devoted admirers, revealing a love story that ended not in tragedy, but in marriage and devotion. 

When the famed Territorial actress Mademoiselle Rose (Brown) Wakely, known on stage as Milly Rose Haydee, suddenly disappeared from town in 1860, rumors spread.

Portraying Mademoiselle Rose Haydee, Emma Berg recounts how a supposed kidnapping sent miners into a mob frenzy, only to learn love was the real motive.

Photo by Mindy Leary

Admirers believed she had been kidnapped by a gambler with a questionable reputation. A group of angry miners formed a mob and rode toward Denver, convinced they needed to rescue her and deliver swift justice. They reportedly even searched for a sturdy tree for a hanging.

The twist came when the actress herself returned, very much alive and entirely unimpressed with the drama. She revealed that she had gone willingly and planned to marry the man at the center of the rumors.

The crowd’s stunned reaction became part of the legend, turning what could have been a tragedy into a rare love story that actually survived chaos.

Mike Keeler portrays Gilpin County treasurer Christopher Trezise during the Valentine’s Creepy Crawl, reenacting a love story that ended in violence.

Photo by Mindy Leary

Bringing local history to life

Many of the performers were familiar faces for longtime Creepy Crawl fans. Emma Berg, Mike Keeler, Robbie Zmuda, Kirsten Wakefield, Jordyn Wakefield, Taz Delaney, and Chuck Roberts have appeared in past cemetery tours and, once again, brought local history to life.

Monte Lobo’s classic historic interior added to the period-driven ambiance. About 35 people gathered near the stage, creating an intimate atmosphere where laughter came easy and darker moments hit squarely.

Even though many stories ended in heartbreak, the final performance reminded everyone that love can survive chaos, rumors, and even an angry mob.

Jordyn and Kirsten Wakefield tell a chilling love tale at Monte Lobo in Central City.

Photo by Mindy Leary

Organizers hinted that the Valentine’s Creepy Crawl could become a yearly tradition. Judging by the crowd’s response, the idea may stick.