colorado chapter

PEAKS & plainsFOURTH QUARTER 2014-2015 | APRIL

On behalf of our chapter, we are excited to be hosting our 2015 Regional Conference in August. There are many activities to keep us and our families busy in the Pikes Peak Region during the dog days of summer. Fun Fact: our beloved song “America the Beautiful” was written by Katherine Lee Bates after summiting Pikes Peak’s 14,114 feet.

Colorado Springs is rich in history dating back to the 1700’s when several Native American tribes (e.g., Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute) settled near the now Pikes Peak area- partly due to the abundant mineral springs. In 1806 almost 100 years later,

an United States Army captain and explorer Zebulon Pike led an expedition through the now Colorado. The men lost their bearings and ended up being captured by the Spanish. Then they were sent to the now Chihuahua, Mexico to be questioned by the Governor and at ultimately released in 1807.

As in other parts of our state, once the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad started bringing new people, revenue and wares to Colorado Springs; a new era truly began. Once gold hit, Cripple Creek celebrated one of the largest gold rushes in US history and its population boomed to approximately 50,000 residents.

One of the newfound millionaires was named Spencer Penrose. He and his wife Julie wanted to give back to their region and founded the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the 1920’s. They then developed a trust for the people of Colorado Springs “for the sole purpose of establishing and maintaining a zoological park to provide recreation, education, conservation and scientific facilities in the field of zoology and related subjects, and to preserve the Zoo in perpetuity for the people of the Pikes Peak region.” www.cmzoo.org

STATEWIDE PRIDELearn and Laugh at Region 10 then Stay and Play...the Pikes Peak Way!by Cally Christensen

colorado chapter

PEAKS & plainsFOURTH QUARTER 2014-2015 | APRIL

Today the zoo focuses on conservation and education by allowing guests to experience a one of a kind habitat. From feeding giraffes to hippos and primates this is one experience not to be missed!

Another “must see” is Historic M a n i to u S p r i n g s , f a m o u s for several different types of therapeutic mineral waters. The native tribes that settled in this area considered the eruption of bubbles in the water the breath of the Great Spirit “Manitou.” Much of this healing water is still available today; residents and visitors alike can take a walking tour to sample the different springs. Some of the local favorites are: Seven Minute Spring, the Cheyenne Spring -a sweet soda spring, Iron Spring Geyser- this healing water helps with iron deficiencies, Twin Spring-this water has a sweet taste with higher levels of calcium and potassium.

According to TripAdvisor the #1 place to go in Colorado Springs, is the Garden of the Gods Park. With over 15 miles of trails within the

park and over 1,300 total acres; you can bike, hike, walk, take a Jeep tour, ride on horseback or even do some climbing. This park is owned by the City of Colorado Springs, and has been designated as a National Natural Landmark. This park celebrates over 300 million years of geological history and the merging of two different biomes: the grasslands of the Great Plains and the pinon-juniper woodlands of the American Southwest.

Finally another awe inspiring local attraction is Seven Falls (privately owned.) This is an almost 200 foot series of seven cascading waterfalls of the South Cheyenne Creek. There are multiple ways to view the falls either from the Eagle’s Nest (accessible by elevator,) or climbing the 224 stairs. This scenic destination experienced significant flooding in 2013 and has been renovated and will re-open Summer of 2015. Sources Cited: www.visitcos.com www.cmzoo.orgwww.tripadvisor.com

STATEWIDE PRIDEcontinued