page_title: Winfield Scott Stratton
section_title: Philanthropy
hierarchical_section_title: Winfield Scott Stratton / Philanthropy
caption_attribution_description: Colorado Springs, Colorado City Hall.
context_page_description: Winfield Scott Stratton was an American prospector, capitalist, and philanthropist. He discovered the Independence Lode near Victor, Colorado on July 4, 1891, and became the Cripple Creek Mining District's first millionaire in 1894. He provided to build buildings, improve the street car system, build the first professional ball park, and provided funds to people in need.
context_section_description: He provided the land to build the Colorado Springs City Hall, Mining Exchange building, and Post Office and Federal Courthouse in Colorado Springs. He donated the money for the construction of the El Paso County Courthouse, which is now the Pioneer Museum. He paid for the construction of the Independence Building, where he had an office.
  He bought the streetcar system that became the Colorado Springs and Interurban Railway and spent $2 million improving it so that it had 36 miles of tracks and 56 cars. The line ended in the southwest park of Colorado Springs at Stratton Park, which Stratton donated to the city. The Colorado Springs and Interurban Railway became one of the best streetcar systems in the country.
  The Colorado Springs Millionaires played at the city's first professional baseball stadium, which was built by Statton. It was located at the corner of Cheyenne Boulevard and South Tejon. He donated the money in his estate for the Myron Stratton Home.
  Mr. Stratton had done for this city and the Cripple Creek district very much what Mr. Tabor had earlier done for Denver. His wise and public-spirited use of the money have entitled him to a place in the public remembrance which will endure for many years.
  — Obituary for Stratton, The Evening Telegraph, Colorado Springs, September 15, 1902
  He gave money to prospectors or others in need and he paid for schooling for a teen who was a talented violinist and provided all the laundresses in the town with bicycles. After the Cripple Creek fire of 1896, Stratton paid for food and shelter for many left homeless by the fire. He is said to have written a check for $5,000 to "Crazy Bob" Womack, the prospector who first discovered gold at Cripple, but was down on his luck. He gave $20,000 to Horace A. W. Tabor when Tabor was broke.
caption: Colorado Springs City Hall
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