Timeline of Colorado Springs, Colorado facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.

19th century

• 1871 - Colorado Springs Company founded by William Jackson Palmer.
• 1872
  • Town incorporated.
  • Out West newspaper begins publication.
• 1873 - Town becomes seat of El Paso County.
• 1874
  • Colorado College and Colorado School for Deaf Mutes established.
  • Grasshopper plague.
  • Jackson house (residence) built.
  • Evergreen Cemetery in use.
• 1875 - El Paso County Library (social library) active.
• 1876 - Town becomes part of the new State of Colorado.
• 1882 - Antlers Hotel in business.
• 1885 - Colorado Midland Railway in operation.
• 1890
  • Alamo Hotel built.
  • Free Library and Reading Room Association established.
• 1891
  • Gold found in nearby Cripple Creek.
  • Pikes Peak cog railway and St. Mary's Church built.
• 1892 - Pike National Forest established near Colorado Springs.
• 1893 - High School Building opens.
• 1899 - Van Briggle Art Pottery founded.

20th century

• 1901 - Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway begins operating.
• 1903 - El Paso County Courthouse building constructed.
• 1904 - Colorado Springs City Hall built.
• 1905
  • Colorado Springs Public Library-Carnegie Building opens.
  • Henry Clay Hall becomes mayor.
• 1906 - Sons of the American Revolution chapter organized.
• 1907 - Monument Valley Park developed.
• 1909 - Garden of the Gods park established.
• 1910
  • St. Stephen's School and Colorado Springs Light, Heat and Power Company established.
  • Population: 29,078.
• 1913 - Harry H. Seldomridge becomes U.S. representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district.
• 1917 - Colorado City becomes part of Colorado Springs.
• 1918 - Broadmoor Hotel in business.
• 1919 - Broadmoor Art Academy founded.
• 1920 - Blair's Business College established.
• 1923 - Colorado Springs Municipal Auditorium and Cottonwood Creek Bridge built.
• 1925 - Alexander Airport built.
• 1926 - National Methodist Sanitorium opens.
• 1928 - Alexander Film Company relocates to Colorado Spring.
• 1935 - Peak Theatre opens.
• 1936 - Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center built.
• 1937
  • Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo begins.
  • Colorado Springs Museum established.
• 1938 - Broadmoor Ice Palace (skating rink) opens.
• 1940 - Population: 33,237.
• 1941 - U.S. military Camp Carson established.
• 1946 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph newspaper in publication.
• 1948 - Peterson Field established.
• 1949 - Pikes Peak Range Riders active.
• 1953 - Pikes Peak Ghost Town in business.
• 1956 - Santa's Workshop opens near city.
• 1957 - North American Aerospace Defense Command established.
• 1958 - United States Air Force Academy established near city.
• 1962 - United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel built.
• 1964 - Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker built near city.
• 1965 - Colorado Technical College and University of Colorado, Colorado Springs established.
• 1967 - Pikes Peak Community College established.
• 1970
  • Colorado Springs Sun newspaper begins publication.
  • Population: 135,060.
• 1974 - Care and Share food bank incorporated.
• 1975
  • Peterson U.S. Air Force Base active.
  • Larry Ochs becomes mayor.
• 1978
  • United States Olympic Training Center opens.
  • National Sports Festival held.
• 1979
  • Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association headquartered in city.
  • Bob Isaac becomes mayor.
  • Professional Rodeo Hall of Champs and Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum open.
• 1980 - Pikes Peak Genealogical Society founded.
• 1982
  • Colorado Springs' annexation of Broadmoor, Cheyenne Canon, Ivywild, Skyway, and Stratton Meadows neighborhoods is upheld by the Colorado Supreme Court after a district court had voided the annexation.
  • Pikes Peak Center built.
• 1983 - Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs established.
• 1985 - Falcon U.S. Air Force Station in operation.
• 1988 - Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival begins.
• 1990
  • Norwest Bank Tower built.
  • Population: 281,140; metro 397,014.
• 1992 - Earth Spirit Pagans and Citizens Project established.
• 1993 - Focus on the Family relocates headquarters from Pomona, California.
• 1994 - ADX Florence federal supermax prison begins operating in vicinity of Colorado Springs.
• 1997 - Mary Lou Makepeace becomes mayor.
• 1998 - World Arena, Colorado Springs opens.

21st century

• 2000
  • Pikes Peak Greenway opens.
  • Population: 360,890.
  • Prominent gays in the military story published about closeted soldiers here. Part 2.
• 2003
  • Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra and Red Rock Canyon Open Space established.
  • Lionel Rivera becomes mayor.
• 2007
  • January: Doug Lamborn becomes U.S. representative for Colorado's 5th congressional district.
• 2008 - Hollywood Theaters (cinema) in business.
• 2010 - Population: 416,427.
• 2011 - Steve Bach becomes mayor.
• 2012 - June 23: Waldo Canyon fire begins.
• 2013
  • June 11: Black Forest Fire begins near city.
• 2016 - Blizzard of March 20, 2016 closed down I-25 for more than 12 hours. Monument hill became impassable.