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.
 * 1899 - 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.