About Colorado Springs

With over 300 days on average of sunshine to be enjoyed annually, the natural beauty of Colorado Springs is legendary. In fact, the view from the top of nearby Pikes Peak inspired Katharine Lee Bates to compose "America the Beautiful" over 100 years ago. Today, there is more access to the mountains and streams that the area is famous for, yet the "wild west" feel remains intact.

Founded in 1871, Colorado Springs, Colorado's second-largest city by population - largest in area, has evolved from a quaint, Victorian spa resort to a sophisticated city, with a charming "small town" ambiance. With over 50 local attractions, Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region are the gateway to Southern Colorado's "Outdoor Adventure Play Land." Located 80 miles south of Denver's International Airport, with it's own Colorado Springs Airport and only 1 ½ hours away from world-class skiing, Colorado Springs is a vacation mecca, drawing over 6 million visitors annually.

At an altitude of 6,000 to 7,000 feet, the climate of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region is warm in the summer and moderate in the spring, fall and winter, with with extremes in temperature being rare. Classified as an "alpine desert," the dry, clean air was once a destination to heal tuberculosis patients. Today, visitors enjoy the climate because it allows for year-round outdoor recreation. Summers are dry with temperatures in the 80s to mid 90s, with cool nights in the 60s. Spring and fall temperatures range from the mid 50s to the low 70s and winters here can be white, but normally the snow that does fall melts quickly and reveals a sunny sky again. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 40s.

COLORADO SPRINGS HISTORY
The Pikes Peak region's first inhabitants were native Ute, Cheyenne, Kiowa and Arapahoe Indians. In the summer, these tribes gathered at their sacred grounds of what we now call the Garden of the Gods Park. In 1870, General William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War General from Pennsylvania, first came to the area. One year later, he founded the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and the city of Colorado Springs. He laid out plans for the city, its streets and donated land for churches and schools. Palmer envisioned Colorado Springs as a resort destination, which is how Colorado Springs received its first nickname of "Little London." Palmer's home at the time was a 67-room castle called Glen Eyrie, which still stands today as a memorial to Palmer's brilliant vision.

The gold mining rush of the 1890s led to the settlement of Cripple Creek, a mining town just west of Colorado Springs. At the turn of the 19th century, Colorado Springs was the leading mining exchange center of the world and was called "the city of millionaires." By 1904, Colorado Springs had 35 of the nation's 100 millionaires from gold mined in Cripple Creek. The sunny conditions and dry, mild climate of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs made this area popular for people suffering from tuberculosis. It was thought that the climate of this region significantly improved the health of TB patients, and thus numerous sanitariums were built during the early 1900s.

Another man of vision living in Colorado Springs during the 1800s was Spencer Penrose, who made his profits in gold and silver. He gave away parcels of land for community use, built the Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain Highways, established the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Will Rogers Shrine and the Broadmoor Hotel. He also set up a foundation for charitable purposes known as the El Pomar Foundation, which still exists and assists the needs of many worthy causes today.

In the 1940s, the Fort Carson Army installation was built, marking the beginning of what is now a strong military presence in this region and making it one of the most important military cities in the United States. Today, Colorado Springs is home to several military installations including, Peterson Air Force Base, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), NORAD (North American Radar and Air Defense), Shriever Air Force Base, and the United States Air Force Academy. The military is the largest employer in Colorado Springs. Tourism is ranked number three.

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