Colorado Springs Official Visitors Guide 2009 - (Page 19) Pikes-Peak.com Going For The Gold 9 mining equipment in actual operation, hands-on gold panning, and over 4,000 mining collectibles. But the riches found in “them thar hills” were not confined to Cripple Creek. In the book "Money Mountain, the Story of Cripple Creek Gold" Marshall Sprague wrote, “Cripple Creek conferred its greatest blessings on Colorado Springs.” Spencer Penrose built The Broadmoor Hotel from a fortune that had Cripple Creek District roots. With his wealth, he bought and improved the Pikes Peak Cog Railroad. He also built the auto highways that lead to the summits of Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center sits on land that was a gift from the Penrose fortune. Winfield Scott Stratton, who also earned his fortune in Cripple Creek, was another Colorado Springs benefactor. The Myron Stratton Home, named for his father, now provides independent and assisted living quarters for the elderly. At the turn of the century, Stratton bought and improved the Colorado Springs streetcar system. He donated the land on which City Hall and the post office stand. He also built the five-story Mining Exchange Building and a park. Others who struck it rich in Cripple Creek made generous donations and improvements to Colorado Springs, including Eugene Shove, William Lennox, Jimmy Burns, Ed Giddings and A.E. Carlton. Many streets are named for those who struck it rich in the mining district, including Penrose Boulevard, Stratton Avenue, Tutt Boulevard, Womack Drive and Carlton Avenue. Some city streets are also named for Cripple Creek mines such as Ajax, Vindicator, Gold Coin and Elkton. On Pikes Peak Avenue, you’ll find statues of both Spencer Penrose and Winfield Scott Stratton, reminders of two of the men who found their fortunes in the gold mines of Cripple Creek and who shared their wealth with the city of Colorado Springs. gold near the foothills of the Rockies. News of the discovery spread like wildfire, fanned by the desperation created by a national economic depression. By the spring of 1859, more than 100,000 people rushed to Colorado hoping to make their fortunes. This rush was named for the most prominent and best known landmark in the area: Pikes Peak. The Pikes Peak or Bust rush led to the American settlement of the state of Colorado, with numerous cities and towns organized seemingly overnight. One example is Cripple Creek, a mining town just west of Colorado Springs. At the turn of the 19th century, Colorado Springs was the leading mining exchange center of the world and was called “the city of millionaires.” By 1904, Colorado Springs had 35 of the nation’s top 100 millionaires from gold mined in Cripple Creek. "At the turn of the 19th century, Colorado Springs was the leading mining exchange center of the world and was called “the city of millionaires.” The national historic districts of the Cripple Creek and Victor mining towns offer the visitor an authentic experience of going back in time to see what was once “the World’s Greatest Gold Camp.” Located on the southwest side of Pikes Peak (about an hour from downtown Colorado Springs), this historic area has produced over 21 million ounces of gold since it was organized on April 5, 1891. The Golden Loop Historic Parkway is a mile-by-mile historical drive tour with information about mining past and present. Remnants of historic mines and ghost towns as well as modern surface mining operations are highlighted. Gold Camp Road, which connects Colorado Springs to this area, was once the roadbed of the Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railroad. Today, this U.S. Forest Service-owned, unpaved, winding road is used for Jeep tours and scenic views. Experience an authentic mine tour 1,000 feet underground at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine and learn more about the rich history of the region at the Pikes Peak Heritage Center. Take a ride on the historic narrow gauge Cripple Creek and Victor steam-engine train, then finish the day with a Ghost Walk tour or limited-stakes gambling at one of the Cripple Creek casinos. Once back in Colorado Springs, the Western Museum of Mining & Industry offers Olympic Gold In 1977, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) selected Colorado Springs for its national headquarters and established the Olympic Training Center (OTC) on 35 acres that were formerly the location of Ent Air Force Base. On July 1, 1978, the USOC relocated to Colorado Springs from New York City and in August of that year, athletes began training at the OTC. In 2008, the USOC reaffirmed its commitment to Colorado Springs by signing a 25-year agreement that specified a new USOC headquarters building and updated OTC facilities would be built. The USOC is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. Continued on Page 80 http://www.Pikes-Peak.com
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