The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-09-14
ONE OF MANY LEGENDS TOLD OF
THAT MAJESTIC CLEFT IN THE
ROCKS so LITTLE KNOWN BY
TOURISTS.
DEVILS THEATRE POSSESSES
GRUESOME ATMOSPHERE
(BY PETER sTERLING).

the past. Temple Canon itself is five
miles up Grape creek, and is one of the
real wonders of the west, but because
it has always been such a difficult
matter to get up there, it is not so
well known as other scenic points
about Canon City.
The first man in these parts to dis
cover the awesome cathedral of ma
jestic rock-ribbed towers and the
mighty shadow-covered walls of Tenn
pie Canon was James E. Mcclure of
this city. In fact, he named it. While
building the toll road over Oak Creek
grade Mr.. Mcclure got to delving in
and about the rocks of Grape Creek
canon and one day suddenly stumbled
into the cleft in the rocks. which is
the vestibule to the fantastic and pic
turesQue canon. So impressed was
he that he at once called it Temple
Canon, told his friends about it, and
so appropriate was the name that it
has remained to this day.
Just off to one side of this marvel
rock is sister canon. not so large
nor as inspiring perhaps, but more
sombre and full of thrills. The action
of the elements by persistent effort
century after century has followed
out perfect theatre. with back wall.
flies and wings, with a level rock
strewn floor. Just opposite succeeding
ledges afford a natural auditorium.
This has been called the DEVILS the,
atre.
Since Mr.. McClure's discovery many
tales and various legends have sprung
up. The fantastic atmosphere and
the creeping and crawling creatures
of the earth that infest the place of.
fer much food for these unusual sto-
ries.
1t is said that little child of a
Canon City family who had bad
habit of running away had been told
time and again that she must never
run away because the ghosts of the
devil would get her. They thought
it just an idle fancy sufficient TO
scare the child into submission. II
always had its effect. too.
One day they went up Grape Greek
canon on a picnic. Towards evening
when they started home. the child
had suddenly disappeared. Franctic-
ally they searched the canon up and
down and called and called, but there
was no response. Crazy with fear and
apprehension, the mother knew not
where she climbed, and at last found
herself in the midst of a horrible
nightmarish bedlam of noise. 1t was
the DEVILS theatre. She cried out in
terror and there was an answering
scream of child. "The DEVILS ghosts,
the DEVILS ghosts!" and then all was
silent.
In the morning they found the moth
er a blithering maniac, the child a
stiffened corpse
1t had been said from the very be-
ginning that the awful scenes trans
acted at night in that gloomy place
would strike terror to the strongest
soul. But it is further said that a
gentle girl of refined family from an
eastern hub of culture withstood the
horrors of such an ordeal and thereby
reformed her sweetheart.
He had come west to make his for
tune, made misstep in Denver, forged
the name of an eastern friend and
was sent to the penitentiary here.
His sweetheart, ever faithful, came
west TO visit him. She used to stay
at the old Mcclure house and one
night while here the convict lover es-
capped from behind the drab walls
He could not stand the heart-breaking
confinement with her so close TO him.
Search as they might the guards
could not find him and he was almost
given up after several weeks had
passed. The girl staid on, sorrowing
deeply because her sweetheart had
acted thus Every day she took long
walks into the hills in an effort to
forget the pain of it all.
One day she went up Grape Creek,
wading the stream almost waist deep
many times as the rugged canon SER
pentined back and forth. At last as
she was about to turn back she heard
her name called family. but echoed
many times in those responsive walls.
She gaEed quickly about and finally
spied but the shadow Of man. clad