The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-10-12
GARDEN OF GODS
IS GIVEN TO CITY
Local Traveller Tells of Cere-
monies Attending Trans
fer of the Garden.

One of Richmond's travellers who
has seen almost all the scenic won
ders of the American continent and
lis a firm believer in the slogan See
America First" has just returned
from Colorado Springs where he saw
"a number of local persons who are So
.journing there.
Persons who have visited the Gar
Iden of the Gods in Colorado will be
interested to know that the garden
! has been presented to the city of Colo
rado Springs and dedicated to the en-
ttire world. The Richmond traveller
! has the following to say about the
dedicatory rites accompanying the
transfer of the garden:
1.-The dedicatory address was made
by Hon. Henry G. Hall, former mayor
of Colorado Springs, and addresses
were also made by Mayor H. F. Avery
and Judge H. G. Lunt, chairman of
the park commission. Robert F. Per-
kins represented the family in his re-
Spouse.
THE inscription on the tablet reads:
THE Garden of the Gods given to
the city of Colorado Springs in 1909
by the children of Charles Elliott Per
kins in fulfillment of his wish that it
be kept forever free to the public"
Perkins Is Donor.
"Mr. Perkins was a prominent fig
ure in the western railroad world and
was formerly president of the Burling-
j ton railroad. In the earlier days, he
was an associate of Gen. William j.
Palmer, founder of the city of Colora-
do Springs and builder of the Denver
! Gen. Palmer's suggestion that he Sc
cured the Garden of the Gods in 1879,
Throughout his life time he main
tanned this great natural park free of
access, although he was several times
offered large sums of money for the
tract. When he died in 1907, the
Garden of the Gods passed, with the
remainder of his estate, to his child
rem, and the only indication as to its
disposal was this not in his own hand
writing, found on the back of an old
envelope:
1T is my wish that my children
give the Garden of the Gods to the
city of Colorado Springs for park pur-
poses.'
10 carry out his wishes, the heirs
began the necessary legal proceedings
and on Christmas day, 1909, the world
famed scenic wonder passed into the
possession of the city of Colorado
Springs. The tract comprises 4SO
lacres and is valued in excess of
! 100000.
A Worlds Wonder.
1.-THE marvellous and fantastic rock
/ formations of the Garden of the Gods
have long been pointed out as one OF
the worlds natural wonders. Before
the coming of the white man the Gar
den of the Gods was the worshiping
place of the Indian, and today the
Utes return annually for their Shan
Kive' of rejoicing. Chief of all the
groups is the gateway formed Of two
immense slabs of red sandstone, which
tower to a height of more than 800
feet Passing through the rock por
tails, one enters a region where titanic
forces have been at play. The Cathed
raj Spires The Three Graces,' Bear
and Seal Tower of Babel and Siam
ese Twins are among the most inter
esting and noted groups.
with the addition of the Garden OF
the Gods, Colorado Springs has the
most unique park system in America
1t comprises also North Cheyenne Can
on, Monument Valley Park, with miles
Of roads and trails leading to places OF
great beauty. 1t includes 5000 acres
which is considerably in excess OF thai
owned by many cities 10 or 20 times
the size of Colorado Springs with it,
population of 10000. For this magnifi
cent park system. Colorado Springs i:
indebted to Gen. Palmer"