# Timeline of Colorado Springs, Colorado

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.
* 1880 - Four chalybeate mineral springs (iron salts and other minerals) were discovered along Monument Creek in October 1880 by Dr. Charles Gatchell.
* 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.
** Tesla Experimental laboratory built on knob hill

## 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.
** New pavilion at Tahama Spring is constructed.
* 1928 - Alexander Film Company relocates to Colorado Springs.
* 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.
* 2000
** Pikes Peak Greenway opens.
** Population: 360,890.
** Prominent gays in the military story published about closeted soldiers here. Part 2.

## 21st century

* 2003
** Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra and Red Rock Canyon Open Space established.
** Lionel Rivera becomes mayor.
* 2006
** First marijuana dispensary in state, Cannabis Therapeutics opens to the public
* 2007
** January: Doug Lamborn becomes U.S. representative for Colorado's 5th congressional district.
** December 9: The Colorado YWAM and New Life shootings occur.
* 2008 - Hollywood Theaters (cinema) in business.
* 2010 - Population: 416,427.
** July 1, 2010 - 230 medical marijuana related-businesses with active sales tax licenses meet registration deadline and are allowed to continue operating.
* 2011 - Steve Bach becomes mayor.
* 2012 - June 23: The Waldo Canyon fire begins.
* 2013
** June 11: Black Forest Fire begins near city.
** November 5: While approved by 49.3% of county residents in the 2012 election, city officials continue to refuse to allow any recreational marijuana dispensaries to open.
* 2015
** The October 2015 Colorado Springs shooting occurs.
** The Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting occurs.
* 2021 - The 2021 Colorado Springs shooting occurs.
* 2022 - The Colorado Springs nightclub shooting occurs.