A Brief History of Colorado Springs, CO

The area that is now Colorado Springs was used by the Cheyenne, Ute, Arapaho, and other Native American Tribes, who hunted there and visited the mineral springs which gave the city its name. Zebulon Montgomery Pike and a group of settlers were the first Europeans to discover the area, and, in 1806, they attempted to climb the mountain that he later named Pike's Peak. Miners first came to the area in 1859 looking for gold and silver, and the established a settlement called El Dorado City, which would later be named Colorado City. Colorado Springs was founded by General William Palmer in August 1871, with the goal of creating a quality resort community. Many people came to live in and visit the city in the next 20 years because of the nearby Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods, and a number of people came for the dry climate and mineral waters because of medicinal purposes.

Colorado Springs developed in to a popular tourist attraction, with many grand hotels being built. In the late 19th century, the population tripled because of gold being discovered nearby. During this time, more hotels and a number of mansions were built by millionaires who moved to the city. Afterwards, Colorado Springs returned to a popular tourist destination. After World War II, Colorado Springs also became an important location for military installations, such as Fort Carson and the United States Air Force Academy. Later, it would become a spot for Olympic athletes from across the world to train. This reputation as a city with beautiful scenery, many tourists, military installations, Olympic athletes, and later, a booming high-tech industry, continued to the present.

For more detail on the history of Colorado Springs, please visit:
http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/Colorado-Springs-History.html
http://www.trish-ingels.com/community/community.html