Situated at the base of Pikes Peak at the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs offers a spectacular geographic location. Pikes Peak is one of the most famous landmarks of the country and was the inspiration for “America the Beautiful.” You can reach the peak by driving, hiking, or riding a cog railway, and it remains a top tourist attraction. The city is the county seat of El Paso County, Colorado. The estimated population of the city is 414,358; it is the second most populated city in the state, behind only Denver, the state capital. The city was voted number one in “Best Places to Live” by Money Magazine. It was also voted number one on Outsider's list of the best cities in America. The climate and the culture of the city are what make it appealing for so many people. The city was nicknamed “Little London” because of all of the English tourists who visited. The city offers a semi-arid climate and surprisingly mild winters. Large snow accumulation is very rare and sub-zero cold snaps only happen occasionally. The summers in the city are hot and dry. The normal highs for summer temperatures are the lower 90s.
General William Palmer founded the city of Colorado Springs in July of 1871. His intent was to create a resort community. The first resort was the Antlers Hotel which was opened in 1873. Palmer soon after started the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. In the late 1800s Palmer's dream was slowly being recognized as the town became one of the county's most popular tourist destinations. The town of Palmer Lake is named for him.
1891 saw the discovery of one of the largest gold mines on earth, discovered by W.S. Stratton. He stayed in the house he had built when he was a carpenter and generously donated to the city. He donated the land that was used for city hall, expanded the trolley car system, and funded the Myron Stratton Home for housing nomadic children and elderly people. Another man who became wealthy because of the gold fields was Spencer Penrose. He gave money to the city by investing in national mineral concerns. He also financed the building of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Broadmoor Hotel, and the Pikes Peak Highway.
The gold came and went, and took the economy with it; many miners left or retired. The city tried to attract a military base to help its economy; in 1942 the first military base was installed. Camp Carson was used to train soldiers for World War II. The airport was also used for the military and was renamed Peterson Field. After the war in Korea, Peterson Field became the Peterson Air Force Base. 1954 saw Camp Carson become Fort Carson, the city's first army post; later President Eisenhower chose the city to be the location of the United States Air Force Academy. The United States military jumpstarted the growth of the city.
For the past 10 years the Pikes Peak Region was a great place to own a home. This area grew into a nice neighborhood, and buyers had a number of homes to choose from based on prices and styles. The area was hit hard the past 3 years and the prices of the homes have fallen and there have been a record number of foreclosures. The housing market is showing a surge recently, but it could be awhile before a full recovery happens.
The prices of homes in this area averaged $227,000 in July of 2007. The average prices as of July 2010 are around $209,900. The most expensive homes in the city are on the southwest and northwest side. The historic Old North End and Tri-Lakes communities also have high priced housing options. The south and southeast sides offer some of the most inexpensive housing in the city. There are plenty of houses available to choose from. Ranch style houses are found near central Colorado Springs, a suburban style setting is found in Briargate and the northeast sides of town. Large mansions are found around the Broadmoor hotel area. If you are looking for a start up home, the north, northeast, and east sides of the city offer the best selections.
Over 40,000 of the people living in Colorado Springs are employed by the government. More than 1/4th of the economy is accounted for by military personnel at the Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, Peterson Air Force Base, and Schriever Air Force Base. The fastest growing industries in the city are customer service and call centers employing roughly 14,000 people. Technology manufacturing used to be an important factor in the employment industry, but it now employs less than half of the employees it did a year ago.
The recession has hit the city hard. Almost 20,000 jobs were lost in construction, manufacturing, and financial services since 2008. Many retailers also were forced to shut their doors, and sales tax collections have decreased dramatically. The tourism industry was also hit hard by the economic downturn. The unemployment rate in the city is 8.9% as of June of 2010; this is slightly lower than a year ago. There are over 27,000 people currently out of work in the city. There are a few sectors that have been increasing jobs: the government, healthcare, and business services, but the increase from these businesses is not nearly enough to cover the amount of lost jobs in other areas.
With a mostly vegetarian fare the healthy dining spot of the city is Adam's Mountain Café. The food is mostly local and organic and put into meals that are creative and great tasting. For a touch of ambiance, sit on the patio next to the stream while you enjoy some rainbow trout at the Stagecoach Inn. The restaurant gives you the true Colorado feel for dining. The Craftwood Inn offers a unique variety of regional food. This includes ostrich, pheasant, elk, venison, buffalo, wild boar, and duck. For those of you not ready to take such a leap, the restaurant also offers the standard steak, chicken, and seafood. The wines of Colorado offer a unique dining experience in the clear mountain air. The 65 wineries in Colorado are featured and the tasting is free. Sit by the stream and enjoy a night of great food and great wine.
If you are looking for a crazy dining experience you should try King's Chef Diner. The restaurant has been on the Food Network with some of its different creations, including an entrée called “the thing.” If you do not want to stray too far, the Colorado green chili comes highly recommended.
The Old Colorado City Museum is nestled in Old Colorado City. With displays and artifacts of the history of the area, the museum will give you a better understanding of Colorado Springs life. Michael Garmin Magic Town offers a look at some of the sculptures that depict “real life” in America. These statues bring about memories of the people who have made this country what it is. If you want to know more about the history of Colorado Springs, Pioneers Museum will give you all the information you could ask for. It is located downtown at the old courthouse.
On the National Register of Historical Places you will find McAllister House. The house was built in 1873 and retains the pioneer spirit. Teas and other events are hosted here. If you have ever wondered where money came from, look no further. The Money Museum offers a look at gold coins, old coins, tokens, rare coins, and even errors that have been made. There is even money from other parts of the world. The May Natural History Museum is like no museum anywhere else. The collection of insects from all over the world is like none other. John May traveled to the far corners of the earth to create this wonderful collection.
Perhaps the most famous place is the Garden of the Gods. If you are visiting Colorado Springs this is a must-see place. The gorgeous red rocks against the blue sky will take your breath away. The best part is entry is free; you can follow the winding road in your car or get out and walk around to enjoy the beauty. One of the state's greatest natural wonders is the Cave of Winds. This experience will take you well below the earth to view 500 million old rock formations.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers a zoo that sits on the side of the Cheyenne Mountain. The view alone makes it worth the trip, but the zoo is a leader in animal conservation and animal care. Water cascades in 7 different ways from 181 feet at the Seven Falls. This experience is nestled in the Cheyenne Canyon and at night the falls are lit for further viewing pleasure. Over 700 years ago the Anasazis lived in the cliffs of the southwest United States, and then they disappeared. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings offer a chance to learn more about this amazing culture. You can even go inside some of these dwellings.
If you are looking for a traditional Irish Pub, Jack Quinn's is the place to go. Offering a great bar setting with traditional Irish food, the bar also has live entertainment to boot. One of the most popular brewhouse hang outs is the Phantom Canyon Brewing Company. The building offers large windows with wonderful views of the mountains. The place is two stories, and the 2nd floor is devoted to billiards and has its own bar and jukebox. For a fun place to hang out Meadow Muffins offers fast and witty service and a saloon ambience complete with covered wagons. One of the local favorite burgers is the “jiffy burger,” a combination of beef, peanut butter, bacon and provolone…yum. The Ritz is one of the most popular bars in the city. It offers a place to socialize and hear great music. The food is also superb. Steak and martinis; what more do you need? Mackenzies is the place that offers some of the best of both.
Rum Bay is the place to go to go for a large variety of rum. DJ's offer dance music well into the night; if you want a different kind of atmosphere you can head to the dueling pianos next door. Sam's Bar is also nearby if you are looking for some quiet time.
Colorado Springs shopping offers a wide variety of options for whatever you are looking for. Terra Verde is a bath and body shop offering women's clothing and jewelry as well. There are several different art galleries in the city offering you many choices to look for art to add to your collection. The Flute Player Gallery, Squash Blossom Gallery, Van Briggle Art Pottery, Michael Garman Museum, and El Dorado Gallery all offer a unique selection of art for you to choose from. If you are looking for clothing some of your options are Rutledge's, located downtown with clothes for men and women, and Lorig's, on Union Blvd., which offers clothing shoes and accessories.
If you are looking to stay fit while in Colorado Springs you have a number of fitness centers to choose from. There are Curves and Jazzercise locations for you to join. There is the Southwest Skin, and Morris Medina Stylist that offers fitness services along with haircuts and basic styling. Fitness Architects offer personal training services as well as fitness center services. Life Line also offers personal training and fitness center services. If you are looking for a spa to spend the day at Paloma Salon & Micro Spa, which offers wellness center services as well as haircuts and styling. The Chavon Salon & Spa offers wellness center services as well. Middleton Salon & Spa offer anti-aging, aromatherapy, artificial nails, body wrapping, and wellness center services.
The Broadmoor is the premier resort of the city. It has received a 5-star award for the past 50 years and is the best possible resort to stay at when visiting Colorado Springs. The resort is the longest running winner of the AAA Five-Diamond Award. It is located on 3000 acres under the Cheyenne Mountains. The resort offers a full spa, golf, fitness center, two pools, tennis courts, and children's programs. If you want a ranch experience for your stay in Colorado Springs, Chico Basin Ranch offers an 87,000-acre working cattle ranch just outside the city. There are educational opportunities for both adults and children. The Cheyenne Mountain Resort offers quiet scenery with rooms and suites located in lodges across the resort. It is a great setting for a relaxing getaway. The Inn at Palmer Lake offers the surrounding beauty of the Rocky Mountains. The inn has a contemporary log style giving you a true Colorado feel. If you looking for a place where you can prepare your own food, the Blue Skies Inn will start your day with a complimentary breakfast and then set you up with the dishes you need to prepare your own lunches and dinners.
Colorado Springs has several school districts within its borders. In the southern end of the city you have Cheyenne Mountain School District, Harrison School District, Widefield School District, and Fountain-Fort Carson School District, which also services the Fort Carson area. In the north you have Academy School District. In the east you have James Irwin Charter Schools and Falcon School District, and finally Colorado Springs School District located in the center of the city. In total the school district houses over 150 public, specialized, and charter schools.
Because of the large number of districts residing within the city of Colorado Springs, any parent or family seeking information on their school or a prospective school for their child is best directed to the state of Colorado's Department of Education website. This website maintains the records of each districts performance in regards to SFA or State and Federal Accountability which includes accreditation and adequate yearly progress, Post-Secondary Readiness which includes graduation rates and the percentage of graduates enrolled in higher learning courses as well as AP courses, and Student Engagement which tracks attendance and disciplinary and safety data. Colorado Springs is also home to many universities and colleges including, IntelliTec College which offers technical careers in health, technology, and business. The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is a branch of the state University of Colorado. UCCS was ranked 16th for its bachelor and masters degrees in engineering. Colorado College is a private liberal arts college which offers more than 80 degree programs such as women's studies, and environmental science.
Other universities include, University of the Rockies, a private graduate school which offers masters and doctorate degree programs in Psychology. Colorado Technical University is a private university that offers degree programs for undergrads, graduate, and students aiming for their doctorate in the following subjects: business, technology, and management. Along with your general universities and colleges, Colorado Springs is home to the United States Air Force Academy, providing undergraduate education to men and women who are candidates for the rank of Officer. With extremely strict guidelines for gaining entrance into the university it is not usually measured amongst other universities. However, Forbes Magazine did rank the university as seventh overall in the country in 2009.
Colorado Springs own public transit system services Colorado Springs with connections to Denver and other cities during the weekdays. However, it is still greatly lacking as it fails to service many areas and operates under limited hours. Getting around town is easier done with a car of your own, although traffic can be congested at times. However, the city of Colorado Springs has adopted a long term effort to improving its city's transportation system problems which have been primarily caused by the rapid rise in population over the past several years. Despite these problems there are several highways servicing the area, I-25 running from New Mexico on through to Wyoming, US-24 which goes through towards eastern Colorado, SH-83 which runs from Denver to Colorado Springs, US 85 which runs through the city, and US 87 which also runs throughout the state of Colorado.
Despite its shortcomings with transportation, the city of Colorado Springs maintains decent transportation efforts, and plans on improving areas known for heavy congestion. In response to frustration over the years Colorado Springs has built highway expansions and building interchanges in some of the city's worst areas. As a side note, Colorado Springs is one of many cities attempting to build the Front Range Commuter Rail. The Front Range Commuter Rail is a plan to build a fast track commuter rail system that goes from Pueblo, Colorado to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and down into New Mexico. The goal for this project completion is 2014.
The city of Colorado Springs, Colorado has a wide range of government services offered to the community. Colorado Springs Colorado has a mayor and nine council members. Their city meetings are open to the public and town hall meetings are held quite frequently to give the public a chance to give input.
Most of the city leadership is under the direction of the City Manager and the assistant city manager. Under these two officials are department heads, including a Finance Director, CIO (Chief Information Officer), Chief of Police, Director of Human Resources, Fire Chief and a Director of Aviation. All are available via email or phone. The website is http://www.springsgov.com. There is a wide range of city agencies. The city attorney represents the city in all court cases and is the legal advisor to the city. The Economic Development board handles all of the business and community needs for Colorado Springs. The city engineering department handles all civil engineering and related projects for the city. This department also handles the storm water and transportation systems. The city clerk is the official record keeper for a number of items that go on in the city, such as the handing out of business licenses. They are also the custodian for the corporate seal of the city.
The municipal court is located at 224 E. Kiowa Street. It is open Monday through Friday from 8-5. The court handles all of the traffic and criminal violations. Most traffic violations are able to be paid before the court date but criminal violations require you to show up for court. There are a number of parks, and cultural services that the city provides. From the pioneer museum to the golf courses this department is very helpful to the citizens of Colorado Springs. They also handle all of the city cemeteries.
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