Colorado Springs is a large city located just east of the geographic center of the U.S. state of Colorado. It has a population of 360,890 (according to the 2000 census) making it the second largest city in Colorado and the 49th largest city in the United States. It is also a large part of the metropolitan area of the Front Range. In July 2006, Money magazine ranked Colorado Springs the best place to live in the big city category, which includes cities with 300,000 or more people. [1] The capital of Colorado, Denver, is 68 miles to the north. At an elevation of 6,035 feet, Colorado Springs is over a mile above sea level, though some areas of the city are significantly higher. The city itself is situated near the base of one of the most famous American peaks, Pikes Peak, on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. The city is the county seat of El Paso CountyGR1.
Today, Colorado Springs has many features of a modern urban area, such as parks, bike trails, urban open-area spaces, business and commerce, theatres and other entertainment. It was first established as a posh resort community and the tourist industry has remained strong and offers many activities and attractions.
Colorado Springs is also home to a large number of military installations and important national defense agencies. It is also home to the United States Air Force Academy, one of only five military academies in the entire country
History
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General William Palmer, City Founder
Garden of the Gods, a public park famous for its towering red rock formations.Colorado Springs was founded in August 1871 by General William Palmer, with the intention of creating a high quality resort community, and was soon nicknamed "Little London" because of the many English tourists who came. Nearby Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods made the city's location a natural.
Within two years his flagship resort the Antlers Hotel opened, welcoming U.S. and international travelers as well as health-seekers looking for the high altitude and dry climate, and Palmer's visions of a thriving, quality resort town were coming true. Soon after he founded and owned the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, a critical regional railroad. Afterwards he maintained his presence in the city's early days by making many grants or sales of land to many important civic institutions in the community. Palmer and his wife saw Colorado Springs develop into one of the most popular travel destinations in the United States.
The town of Palmer Lake and a geographic feature called the Palmer Divide (and other more minor features) are named after him, and a bronze sculpture of Palmer on his horse is prominently displayed downtown in the center of a busy intersection.
America the Beautiful was written by visiting English professor Katharine Lee Bates in August 1893, while she stayed at the Antlers Hotel after visiting the top of nearby Pikes Peak.
Old Colorado City and the Colorado Gold Rush
Colorado Springs' present downtown location, where General Palmer first founded the city, is due to Palmer's dislike of nearby rough-and-ready Colorado City and its many saloons; Palmer ensured his new city stayed alcohol free by buying a huge tract of land to the east of Colorado City and in fact, Colorado Springs stayed dry until the end of Prohibition in 1933.
In its earliest days of 1859-1860, Colorado City was a major supply route of supplies for miners in the South Park, where a major strike in the Colorado Gold Rush was found. Routes further north from present-day Denver's area proved more effective, and as only a few very minor gold finds were made in the Pikes Peak region, commerce instead shifted towards serving the agriculture of Colorado's eastern plains. (Eventually General Palmer's Denver & Rio Grande Railroad would snake from Denver into the South Park.)
Colorado City was the county seat of El Paso County until 1873, when the courthouse moved to Colorado Springs.
Colorado City also briefly (and unofficially) served as Colorado's territorial capital starting on July 7, 1862. By this time the town's fortunes were already waning. The territorial legislature met in a log cabin on Colorado Avenue, and on August 14, 1862 the legislature approved an act which named Golden as the territorial capital. Colorado City was never recognized by the Federal government as the territorial capital.
In 1891, major gold strikes were made in Cripple Creek and Victor, on the other side of Pike's Peak from Colorado City, and suddenly supplies were needed for this last major phase of the Colorado Gold Rush and the town's big boom was on. Eventually Colorado City was processing much of the gold ore as Palmer's railroads connected the areas.
Latter 20th century military boom
Downtown Colorado Springs during the 1950s.Colorado Springs saw its first military base in 1942 shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked. It was during this time the U.S. Army established Camp Carson near the southern borders of the city in order to train and house troops in preparation for the Second World War. It was also during this time that the Army began using at what was then and still is the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. It was renamed Peterson Field and used as a training base for heavy bombers.
The Army then began expanding Camp Carson, a venture that increased growth in Colorado Springs and provided a significant area of industry for the city. After World War II the military stepped away from the Springs and it seemed the city's military boom was over, Camp Carson was declining and the military was activating and deactivating Peterson Field irregularly. That all changed when the Korean War erupted and the declining Camp Carson of 600 was revitalized, along with many other parts of the Springs.
After the Korean War, Peterson Field was renamed Peterson Air Force Base and was permanently activated. In 1954 Camp Carson became Fort Carson, Colorado Spring's first Army post. Later that same year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower chose, out of 300 other sites around the nation, Colorado Springs to be the site of the Air Force's military academy. With a new and growing Army post, an Air Force Base, and the Air Force's military academy, Colorado Springs' growth was jump-started.
The military boom continued and in 1963, NORAD's main facility was built in Cheyenne Mountain. It placed NORAD directly next to Colorado Springs and permanently secured the city's military presence. During the Cold War the city greatly expanded due to increased revenue from various industries and the prevailing military presence in the city. This presence was further increased in 1983 with the founding of Schriever Air Force Base, a base primarily tasked with missile defense and satellite control. Fort Carson and Peterson are still growing and continue to contribute to the city's growth. Headquarters, Air Force Space Command, is located on Peterson AFB.
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Geography and climate
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Geography
The sign greeting travelers into Colorado Springs on Interstate 25 southbound from Denver.Colorado Springs is located at 38°51′48″N, 104°47′31″W (38.863443, -104.791914)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 482.1 km² (186.1 mi²). 481.1 km² (185.7 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (0.21%) is water.
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Climate
Colorado Springs averages 250 days of sunshine per year, and receives 15.42 inches of annual precipitation. Average snowfall for the area (included in the previous annual precipitation calculation) is 5.5" in November, 5.7" in December, 5.0" in January, 5.1" in February, 9.4" in March, and 6.3" in April. Due to unusually low precipitation for the past few years before 2006, Colorado Springs has had to enact lawn water restrictions. Average January low and high temperatures are 14°F/ 42°F (-10°C/ 5.5°C) and average July low and high temperatures are 55°F/ 85°F (12.7°C/ 29.4°C). Traditionally, Colorado Springs has winters known as Indian Summers, where the winters are mild (except the occasional sub-zero cold snap around October 31 and March/April blizzards). The hottest temperature ever recorded in Colorado Springs was 101°F (38.3°C) on June 7, 1874 and the coldest temperature ever recorded was -32°F (-35.5°C) on January 20, 1883. Colorado Springs is also one of the most active lightning strike areas in the United States. This natural phenomenon led Nicola Tesla to select Colorado Springs as the preferred location to build his lab and study electricity.
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Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 360,890 people, 141,516 households, and 93,117 families residing in the city. The population density was 750.2/km² (1,942.9/mi²). There were 148,690 housing units at an average density of 309.1/km² (800.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.66% White, 6.56% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 5.01% from other races, and 3.85% from two or more races. 12.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 141,516 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,081, and the median income for a family was $53,478. Males had a median income of $36,786 versus $26,427 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,496. About 6.1% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
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Attractions and entertainment
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Tourism and attractions
Downtown Colorado Springs today.Much of the Springs tourism comes from the area it was built around, most famously Pikes Peak. The city is host to numerous trails and parks due to its close proximity to the Rocky Mountains, making the city a popular destination for its scenery. With the mountains as close as they are the Springs has also gained notority for its rock formations and other geological features. There are many attractions in the area, including:
American Numismatic Association
The Broadmoor Hotel, a luxury hotel/resort rated Five-Star by Mobil and Five-Diamond by AAA, every year.[3]
Cave of the Winds
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, billed as the nation's only 'mountain zoo,' is situated, essentially, on the side of Cheyenne Mountain.
The Citadel Mall [4]
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Flying W Ranch, a cowboy ranch.
Focus on the Family visitor center and tours of facilities
Garden of the Gods, a collection of large red sandstone formations
Glen Eyrie, home to William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, now owned by The Navigators - tours available
Lon Chaney Theater
Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway - ascends to the summit of 14,115 foot tall Pikes Peak
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Michelle's, a 50+ year old ice cream parlor featured in Life Magazine
Old Colorado City district
Pikes Peak Center
Pioneer's Museum
ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy
Security Service Field, home of the baseball club Colorado Springs Sky Sox, AAA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies
Seven Falls
United States Air Force Academy
United States Olympic Training Center [5]
The Van Briggle Pottery, founded in 1899 and still operating, specializing in art nouveau vases and decorative tiles.
The World Arena
According to the Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, the area attracts some six million visitors yearly.
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Orchestras
Colorado Springs Philharmonic
Colorado Springs Youth Symphony
Pikes Peak Philharmonic
Chamber Orchestra of the Springs
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Choirs
Colorado Springs Children's Chorale
Sports teams
Name Sport Founded League Venue
Colorado Springs Sky Sox Baseball 1950 Minor league; Pacific Coast League Security Service Field
Colorado Springs Blizzard Soccer 2004 United Soccer Leagues; USL Premier Development League Security Service Field
Colorado Springs Cricket Club Cricket 1999 Colorado Cricket League
The local colleges feature many sports teams. Notable among them are the following nationally-competitive NCAA Division I teams: United States Air Force Academy (Fighting Falcons) Football, Basketball and Hockey, Colorado College (Tigers) Hockey, and Women's Soccer.
Colorado Springs hosted the 1962 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships (together with Denver).
This nullifies a popular Canadian claim that the 2008 IIHF World Championships in Quebec City, PQ and Halifax, NS will mark the first time this event is organized on the American continent.
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Economy
Colorado Springs' economy is driven primarily by the military, the high-tech industry, and tourism, in that order. While the main force behind the city's economy is the military, the city is not completely dependent on it. The city is currently experiencing growth and has been identified as one of the nation's top ten fastest growing economies.[8]
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Defense industry
The defense industry is the largest portion of Colorado Springs' economy with several of the largest employers coming from this sector.[9] A large portion of this industry is dedicated to the development and operation of various projects of the missile defense agency. The aerospace industry also has had an influence on the Colorado Springs economy. The defense sector has planned several changes, moving in and out personnel, building and shutting down, in the next few years. Still, they are the largest employers in the city and is increasing in the long run.
Defense corporations with ties to the city include:
Northrop Grumman, one of the largest employers in the city
Lockheed Martin
Boeing
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High-tech industry
A large percentage of Colorado Springs' economy is based on high tech and manufacturing. The high tech sector of Colorado Springs is also increasing its overall percentage in the Springs' economy, notably in biotech and semiconductor manufacturing. [citation needed] Due to the slowdown in tourism, the high tech sector now ranks second to the military in terms of total revenue generated and employment. [citation needed]It is projected that this employment ratio will stay constant for the near future. [citation needed] Besides the high tech sector, there are also several research and development firms located in Colorado Springs. [citation needed]
Because of Colorado Springs’ central U.S. location, availability of educated workers, and business climate, several companies have plans either to expand their current operations in Colorado Springs or have considered Colorado Springs as a competitive area for relocating or opening a business. On Oct 04, 2006, Steve Fehl of the Pikes Peak Workforce Center announced that the growing high tech sector in Colorado Springs has recovered around a quarter of the 10,000 IT jobs lost in the last 2000-2001 High-tech unemployment cycle in Colorado Springs.[citation needed] Also, in Sept 2006, Steve Fehl of the PPWFC announced that the availability of well educated high tech workers in Colorado Springs, is 12th out of 25 cities in the USA.[citation needed]
High tech corporations with connections to the city include:
Verizon– Software development - Formally WorldCom and MCI, has a fairly large engineering presence
Hewlett-Packard – Computing – large sales, support, and SAN storage engineering center. The location was built by Digital Equipment Corporation, renamed Compaq in the 1998 acquisition of Digital, and finally renamed Hewlett-Packard after the 2002 merger.
SNIA – Computing - home of the SNIA Technology Center
Agilent – Manufacturing - HP operated a larger facility in the area that was later renamed Agilent in a spinoff.
Intel – Chip fabrication, built in 2000, plans to complete their facility and possibly expand[citation needed]
Atmel – Chip fabrication. Formally Honeywell
Cypress Semiconductor Colorado Design Center – Chip fabrication R&D site
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Olympic Sports
Colorado Springs is home to the United States Olympic Training Center and the headquarters of the United States Olympic Committee. In addition, a number of United States national federations for individual Olympic sports have their headquarters in Colorado Springs, including:
United States Fencing Association
United States Figure Skating Association
USA Basketball
USA Cycling
USA Hockey
USA Swimming
The city has a particularly long association with the sport of figure skating, having hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships 6 times and the World Figure Skating Championships 5 times. It is home to the World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame and the Broadmoor Skating Club, a notable training center for the sport. In recent years, the World Arena has hosted skating events such as Skate America and the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.
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Military
The United States Military plays a very important role in the city. Colorado Springs is home to both Army and Air Force bases and their numerous support bases around the county. Fort Carson, the city's biggest military base, was home to the 3rd ACR and will be home to 4th Infantry, boosting the city's population. The city is host to many various training grounds for infantry, armor, and attack helicopters (specifically the AH-64 Apache). Fort Carson is also the headquarters of the 10th Special Forces Group's second and third battalion, two of the three battalions of the 10th.
The Air Force has a few critical aspects of their service based at Colorado Springs which carry on missile defense operations and development. The Air Force bases a large section of the nation's national missile defense operations, with many parts such as NORAD and Peterson set to operate large sections of the program. Peterson AFB is currently the headquarters of the Air Force's major command Air Force Space Command, the highest level of command in the Air Force. Also, Schriever AFB operates two global positioning system satellites used by the Air Force to direct and command various operations. Schriever is also devolping parts of national missile defense and runs parts of the annual wargames used by the nations military.
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NORAD
Colorado Springs is the site of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a component of America's missile defense system. When it was built, at the height of the Cold War era, it caused much anxiety for the residents of Colorado Springs. Many believed that if World War III started, theirs would be the first city hit. [citation needed] NORAD still operates but is somewhat less vital to American defense than in previous years. Today it is primarily tasked with the tracking of ICBMs, but the military has recently decided to put Cheyenne Mountain on standby and move operations to nearby Peterson Air Force Base. [9]
Military installations in and around the city include:
United States Air Force Academy – Tasked primarily with training Air Force officers.
Cheyenne Mountain Air Station – Air Force: a major military center, home of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command), it is housed in Cheyenne Mountain, south of Pikes Peak.
Peterson Air Force Base – Headquarters of Air Force Space Command
Schriever Air Force Base – Air Force
Fort Carson – Army
Colorado Springs in fiction
Clive Cussler sets a chapter of his thriller "Cyclops" in Colorado Springs, featuring an action scene between the President's personal investigator and a man supposedly involved in a top secret colony on the moon.
Robert A. Heinlein, noted sci-fi writer during the genre's Golden Age, lived in Colorado Springs during part of his career. His novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress featured at one point the rebel moon government raining rock-filled grain canisters down on NORAD's headquarters inside Cheyenne Mountain, incidentally destroying Colorado Springs because of the great amount of kinetic energy released on impact.
Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz lived briefly in Colorado Springs in 1951, on North Franklin Street. Linus and Lucy Van Pelt were neighbors of his, for whom he named characters. He painted a wall of his home with some Peanuts characters. The wall was removed from the home in 2001 and donated to the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California.
Several scenes of Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit (1987) were filmed at the Broadmoor Hotel. Several courtroom scenes in the Perry Mason movie series were filmed in the courtroom exhibit at the Pioneer's Museum (formerly the El Paso County Courthouse).
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, an Emmy Award-winning dramatic television series starring Jane Seymour, was set in this town. Though there was some historical accuracy, the majority of the events and settings were fictional, and actual filming was done at the Paramount Ranch near Agoura Hills, California.
The TV series Stargate SG-1 has several episodes which at least partially take place in Colorado Springs; additionally SGC is based out of nearby Cheyenne Mountain, and most of the team members are shown to reside in Colorado Springs.
The movie Independence Day makes reference to the destruction of NORAD.
In the movie The Sum Of All Fears the Russian president asks a military advisor how many people live in Colorado Springs, as he weighs the ramifications in the use of nuclear weapons against the city. This highlights the strategic importance of the military-centered city.
The film WarGames featured the NORAD facility quite prominently, even though only exterior shots were actually filmed on location.
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Trivia
Lon Chaney was born in Colorado Springs on April 1, 1883. The Lon Chaney Theatre is named for him.
Cassandra Peterson (also known as Elvira, Mistress of the Night) attended General William J. Palmer High School in downtown Colorado Springs. She graduated in the class of 1969.
Leeann Tweeden worked briefly as a waitress at a local Hooters in the 1991-1992 timeframe.
Bobby Unser was born in Colorado Springs on February 20, 1934.
Actors Michael Boatman and Chase Masterson are from Colorado Springs.
Serbian-born American physicist Nikola Tesla built a laboratory in Colorado Springs in 1899 for his experiments in the wireless transmission of electrical power. Reportedly he shot lightning from his lab back into the sky during a lightning storm. The site of the lab is now a residential area. The address is the intersection of Foote and Kiowa streets.
Professional kickboxer, wrestler and actor Bob "The Beast" Sapp was born in Colorado Springs and attended Mitchel High School.
WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley is from Colorado Springs.
Kelsey Grammer's sister was murdered after leaving a Red Lobster in Colorado Springs, Colorado [10].