Timeline of Colorado Springs, Colorado

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.

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.

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.

1928 - Alexander Film Company relocates to Colorado Spring.

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.

21st century

2000

Pikes Peak Greenway opens.

Population: 360,890.

Prominent gays in the military story published about closeted soldiers here. Part 2.

2003

Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra and Red Rock Canyon Open Space established.

Lionel Rivera becomes mayor.

2006

First marijuana dispensary in state, Cannabis Theraputics opens to the public

2007

January: Doug Lamborn becomes U.S. representative for Colorado's 5th congressional district.

December 9: New Life shootings.

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: Waldo Canyon fire begins.

2013

June 11: Black Forest Fire begins near city.

November 5: While approved by county residents in the 2012 election, city officials continue to refuse to allow any recreational marijuana dispensaries to open.

2015 - Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting occurs.

2016 - Blizzard of March 20, 2016 closed down I-25 for more than 12 hours. Monument hill became impassable.