Colorado Springs is located just east of the Rocky Mountians, about 60 miles south of Denver. Pikes Peak can be seen on a clear day, directly west of town. Colorado Springs is home to the US Air Force Academy, and the US Olympic Committee Training Facility, among other organizations. The city has been a favorite spot for vacationing Europeans, throughout much of its history.
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1. Building in downtown Colorado Springs, now converted to lofts.
2. Colorado Springs Pioneer Musuem, at the southern end of downtown. The building is a former court building. Admission is free, however donations are accepted. YES, there is a Gift Shop here, and it has a nice, inexpensive selection of post cards.
3. Collection of railroad passes issued to General William Palmer. Palmer was the founder of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. The Rio Grande was originally chartered to build a route from Denver, to Mexico City, Mexico. When gold and silver were found in the Rockies, not far from Denver, the focus of the railroad changed to bringing the ores to market, and supplies to the mining operations. For those unfamiliar with railroad courtesies, when many railroads operated passenger trains, various companies often would offer passes, for free transportation, to important shippers, company officials, and officials of other companies. This was done to familiarize important people with the railroad's service, and areas that they served. The passes pictured above are from the following companies(top to bottom, left to right):Denver & Rio Grande, Wabash, Midland Terminal, Colorado Midland, Nacional Mexicano, International Great Northern, San Antonio & Arkansas Pass, Santa Fe, Chicago Great Western, Florence & Cripple Creek, and the American Express Company. Passes were typically issued for 1 year. All the passes shown above are dated 1901.
Railroads in Colorado Springs In the past, a number of railroads served Colorado Springs, including the Denver, Rio Grande & Western, Colorado & Southern(Burlington Route), Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific(Rock Island), Santa Fe, and Colorado Midland, to name several. The Colorado Midland was abandoned about 1918, however a portion of the line operated into the late 1940's as the Midland Terminal. The Rock Island declared bankruptcy in the late 1970's and operations on its route to Limon, and east, ceased in the early 1980's. In 2003, only the Union Pacific(new owner of the Rio Grande property, as of the late 1990's) and BNSF(formed by the merger of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe railroads) now operate through town, on The Joint Line.
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