El Paso County Pioneers Association ( c ) (3) Pioneer Courier.

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1 El Paso County Pioneers Association Years ( c ) (3) Pioneer Courier Proud Member of The Coalition of Pikes Peak Historic Museums Notice of Luncheon Meeting - Friday, September 28, 2018 It is especially good to see the snow laden mountain track side with photos taken by the industrious photographers who happily made the trip for us when the snow was winter deep and we didn t have to shovel it or feel the cold! Mel McFarland shows and tells us about Pikes Peak Cog Railway Post Cards. Photo by D. Haverkorn Getting To The Top! Via Post Cards This most interesting subject of specialized post cards is not one we might think of often, even though we all receive one once in a while! To have a collection that encompasses one such local subject so fully is wonderful! Mel knows this subject well, having been to the top of the Peak probably more than all the rest of us put together! As he took us up The Mountain from our luncheon seats we could see the pleasure he has in letting us know the education of each trip and the many ideas inspired by travelers from all times and places. Do we remember this is the side of Our Mountain? McFarland collection How can we believe our eyes!! Well this type of manipulation of the truth has been going on for as long as we ve been able to touch up a photo! You can believe your eyes, it may be that you cannot believe what it is in that picture you are looking at if a human altered the photograph. The fact is that when looking at some of these wonderful post cards you cannot believe your eyes! All to sell the card and make the adventure an enticing and perhaps an unbelievable one!

2 There are at least four postcards that we know of that were Pikes Peak Postcards. In one the steam engine appears to be pushing the coach down the mountain. Pushing down was not needed, the passenger car had brakes if needed. One photo has no cog track under the train, it is instead narrow gauge. Most of us would not notice that! Some of these RR vs RY, Road vs. Railway explanations may seem confusing: a road can go cross country, a way a shorter distance. One engine is shown on top of Cheyenne Mtn. Mountain not Pikes Peak though it was claimed to be P. P. Currently that engine is located in a museum in Golden, CO. Going down the mountain, the car was not connected to the engine in any way in those old days, there were rollers that were between the engine and the car carrying the passengers down. A man watched for problems in the case that it was necessary to stop, only one such incident wrecked the engine! Richard Marold has worked on the Cog even shoveling snow off the tracks. What s in A Name? In the early days engines had names, not numbers. Therefore we may not know which is which as we look at photos & postcards from those days! However, Mel and others have taken the time to date post card depictions via the known dates of production of the card and have figured out the dates. An interesting dilemma for historians, as we want to know the facts... frustrating to acknowledge that we may not know! One early train that was built too light for the Peak trek had a part break and it ran down the hill and crashed! Four cars at the top! America s Mountain We love Our Mountain as well as those New Year s fireworks and the Race to the Clouds each year these events bring the City many visitors and much publicity and that means the economy is helped as well! Mel tells the history behind each postcard with the power of the intimate knowledge of a man who knows and loves the subject and one who loves to teach. Richard Marold & Mel McFarland Historians who make it a living experience and a pleasure. Thank You Gentlemen! Camera men had to do their work scrambling up hillsides to capture just the right shot! Mr. Hook, a photographer, lived close by and was willing to hike or climb up a hill to get the picture. This writer wonders who did the work on the negative, or the first print, to make these sometimes not so subtle changes for the final print to be sold to the public. September 2018 Page 2 of 12

3 About a mile up the mountain there exssted Minnehaha, a tiny community before the Cog railway was on the Peak and it was a place at which there was a small hotel up Ruxton Canyon. Remember that Minnehaha was also a street in Manitou where the first KCME 88.7 classical radio station was located by Bud Edmunds. those extra lights! All of these things seem to acquire their own legends and tales to delight the imagination! The Cog railway owned a street car in Manitou for a time to get people straight to the boarding area. Toboggans were used for a short period of time to have a thrilling ride down the Hill but not for long, as the danger was greater than the work/fun it was to use them. You can see one in the Old Colorado City Museum. Either very brave people or very dumb ones might take such a chance on the steeper grades on the line! There is power plant in Manitou at the bottom of the mtn. Nearby is the Cog boarding area and this plant is of the same design as the Power plant at Skaguay on the other side of the Peak. It is a beautiful and useful plant still producing power! Speaking of electricity, the lights we see at night on The Peak are 100 watts at this time. Some of us remember when a much more wattage was used in some high lighting on the top of our Peak and it is said we town folk didn t like those lights... there is speculation about the reason! One year a snow plow plowed over the elevation marker for the summit. We can imagine the time and cost to put it back! USAFA trainers brought some cadets up to have them run around the outside of the summit house, that was a high altitude lesson for all involved! Not much running happens at the top. Thin air has a slowdown effect! Bagpipers couldn t blow enough air to fill the bags on their pipes! By 1932 street car tracks in Manitou that had been dedicated as a line to take people to the incline starting point were gone. We see that as time and customs changed so did certain aspects of all things related to Pikes Peak. Some welcomed, some not well thought of and abandoned, as in Can you believe it?! Who took this photo? What are the correct words for it? Made up? Electricity! Just before WWII the change was made from diesel to General Electric engines was the year of change again beautiful engine contained Swiss cars came into use along with a gentleman to oversee them. Mel tells us that 10 or 15 wedding parties each year go upon the Cog to have the ceremony to start a life of wedded bliss. Idea! We propose a Pioneers trip up the Cog line when it is refurbished and to see the new Summit House and have a doughnut! Mel McFarland could arrange it and accompany us up the Hill! Bring Richard Marold along for that festive Pioneer trip! Surely the Broadmoor would host the Pioneers Association on a first ride on a new line. September 2018 Page 3 of 12

4 At timberline the dramatic change allows yet another visual pleasure and Lake Moraine can be seen in the distance and we realize the origin of our some of our water supply. Mel reminds us that it snows up there any day of the year. Men would shovel snow by hand if possible. Thank You Richard Marold! Mel has seen fourteen feet of snow on the mountain. Mel says it used to be a big thing to exaggerate on post cards. One depiction shows men and a flat car that Mel and others figured out had to be about two feet tall according to the size of the flatbed car. Mel McFarland, a dear gentleman teacher who teaches about a railway he knows and loves! A great gift to us! To Get To The Top! And the Bottom! As we prepare this issue of the Pioneer Courier many memories return happily about a first experience on a railway. On the other side of The Mountain. One that not many ever rode on and it had communication via a wire strung along it to signal stop, start and other information I didn t know about. This was a tram, a cable car, no roof and perhaps 8 ft. sq. and was controlled from its beginning by electricity! It was my first rail experience. My Maternal Grandfather operated the power plant at Skaguay. Underneath the Skaguay rail line was a wooden pipeline to let water flow down hill to an electric power plant. That purpose was for work, while the P. P. Cog system was for pleasure... the pleasure system made jobs for Mel and many others so to me they each are wonderful examples of our ability to enjoy our labors! Back to the eastern side of the Peak! Hell Gate is just above Halfway House and then there s Ruxton Park in earlier days the train would stop for picture taking. We know now that there is concern about allowing such freedom to ridders! Control is important due to safety concerns and liability issues. Is this train coming or going? Steam suggests going up. Can we believe what we see? There was a water tank at Windy Point that was in use until steam engines were no longer in use on The Peak. Two tanks are still there the lack of water tanks limits the distance that the steam engines can travel when the are brought out these days. We remember learning recently that the doughnut machine for a new summit house was a must consideration as plans are made for the new summit house. The Peak doughnuts are world famous and such a fun thing to exploit. The rest of the items you can get many places just not those unlikely round doughy wonderful edibles! Therefore a new doughnut machine had to be found and tested... we wonder why the old one cannot be used... well new is... well new! September 2018 Page 4 of 12

5 Mel started working on the line in the 1990's Halfway House is not halfway up! It is amazing the things we learn when we see through the eyes of others and listening to Mel lets us know what a good teacher he was! Mel had one slide in which a hiker is shown on the cog line, the hiker has been drawn in. The amount of the work to alter such a post card must have been easier and less costly than hiring and waiting for a person to make the hike along with a photographer. Much easier to work an hour in the darkroom! The post cards were colored mainly in Germany in those days so you can t always trust that the colors are factual. Perhaps red might have been needed and maroon might have been used. Who would ever consider that kind of detail as we learn about our Mountain?! Post cards were quicky made at one time those were the untouched photos. We all enjoyed this trip up the Peak even if we think we can measure the elevation much more accurately these days it is good to know that the mountain is not growing in height. Perhaps in width along the highway where many loads of gravel were moved around when the road was gravel all the way to the top in the olden days. As long as we re talking Pikes Peak... Hurrah Dewey!! Photo by Shoup There are all those names like Son of a Gun Hill that describe places along the tracks that lend visions of what first timers thought about this wonderful trip! Thank You Mel! We hope we can ride with you when all the repairs/renovations are finished! What a pleasure to see and listen to our history and to know gentleman who can help us learn all the interesting facts and how the photographic facts might have been altered and we might be tempted to believe our eyes!! Passengers getting on board ready to ride up in a new car! Mel McFarland post card photo - thanks Dwight Haverkorn September 2018 Page 5 of 12 Knowledge is Power!

6 boiler room and an assembly room in the rear, 42 by 68 feet. The assembly room will serve as a gymnasium, meeting room, supper and dance hall. The second floor contains a club room 15 by 30 feet, a ladies reception room, library, and a spectators balcony over the assembly room. Ranier Jonas enjoying his companions! 25 West Kiowa Street: The Building The building at 25 West Kiowa Street was originally designed to serve as the lodge hall for the Knights of Columbus, Council 582. KOC Council 582 was the first Council in Colorado. Before the construction of the lodge as 25 w, Kiowa, KOC Council met in various other buildings. In addition to promoting Catholic education and charity, the goals of Council 582 included instilling civic pride and action, providing social ind intellectual stimulation, and allowing for social interaction by creating gatherings that might foster a sense of community. KOC Council 582 began a fund raising drive in 1924 and by 1928 had contracted with architect Thomas McLaren to design the building. The contractor for the project was R. E. Alderson, with the projected cost of the building being about $30,000. The Colorado Springs Gazette of May 6, 1928 ran a story on the building plans, stating that the... clubhouse will be erected on a site west of the Public Library on Kiowa Street. There will be accommodations on the groung floor for a lineup room, locker room, cloak room, lavatory, kitchen, The Knights of Columbus Hall at 25 W. Kiowa Street was dedicated on Oct. 12, Early in 1937 the City of Colorado Springs purchased the building for $13,000 and the Colorado Springs Pioneer Association deposited its historical collection in the building. The City established a Board of Directors to oversee the museum and the Pioneer Association donated the collection to the City. That collection formed the foundation of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum occupied the building until The museum had added a 4,800 square foot addition to the building in Muir & Associates Architects became the next occupants of 25 W. Kiowa Street in 1978, doing business in the building until Pikes Peak Library District purchased the property in October 1991 for $175,000. The building was first used for storage and Friends book sales. After asbestos abatement in 1995 the Library s Technical Services Department (currently Collection Management Department) moved into the building and occupied it until September 2014 when they moved to space in Library 21 c. Knights of Columbus Hall at 25 W. Kiowa Street is located in a State Creative District in downtown Colorado Springs. It is a beautiful and historic building, surrounded by landmarks like the Carnegie Reading Garden, the 1905 Carnegie Library, St. Mary s Cathedral, and the historic Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Depot. Knights of Columbus Hall was added to the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties on September 24, Cont. Next page. September 2018 Page 6 of 12

7 The Architect: Thomas MacLaren Thomas MacLaren was born in Scotland in He studied at the Royal Academy of Arts I London and South Kensington School of Art at Edinburgh.. In 1888 MacLaren opened an architectural office in London. Tuberculosis brought MacLaren to Colorado for the cure in 1892, and in 1894 he engaged in business in Colorado Springs. MacLaren s architectural work spanned 34 years during which he worked on his own, as well as with different associates. He died in Colorado Springs in 1928, leaving his estate to the University of Colorado for the establishment of an architectural department. Thomas MacLaren was a prolific designer, creating beautiful and well-respected architecture that has lasted a century and more. He designed scores of buildings throughout the State of Colorado. Below is a list of just a few of the structures credited to MacLaren in areas currently served by the Pikes Peak Library District. Thanks to Peter Blaney for the above information! El Paso County Pioneers Association Board of Directors: Dwight Haverkorn - President , dwightkorn@gmail.com Judy Baber Clarke - Vice President, Monument Histories Chairman Jeannie Spring - Secretary jjsprig@hotmail.com Jeanne Herbst, Treasurer Betsy Shoup - Corr. Secretary, Pioneer Courier Ed bets1@comcast.net Peter Blaney - Programs pblaney@comcast.net Dave Rickert, Internet Site Dona Bymaster - Monument Histories Members at Large: Don Cesare, Paula LeBaron Boulder Crescent Park A bit more of the story. During 1956, improvements were made to Boulder Crescent Park at the urging of James W. Taylor, Director of Parks and Recreation for the city. He argued that the park could be transformed into something "alive and sparkling" through the introduction of colorful playground equipment, benches, and trash receptacles, coupled with the introduction of a historic theme, such as a "gold mining motif" featuring a gold ore specimen marker. He suggested relocating the 1868 Indian massacre marker to a less central location in the park. The City Park Commission approved the plan to improve Boulder Crescent Park and city employees installed a sand-filled play area with a play sculpture designed by Fred Schumm of Manitou Springs. Built by park employees, the play structure was climbable, with a slide, and was made of steel, resin plastics, concrete, plaster, and wax. Planned improvements included shrubs, flower beds, and rows of small trees and partial enclosure of the park with a redwood fence. The memorial tablet (but not its boulder) was relocated to the south end of the park. The removal of the granite marker on which the plaque was originally placed drew angry protests from area historical societies, including the El Paso County Pioneers Association. L. E. Ellinwood of the Pikes Peak Historical Society argued for the restoration of the granite marker, noting that "the children of this day should be aware of the hardships and dangers which our pioneers suffered." The parks board agreed to relocate the plaque and its marker to the north end of the park. Today, the park no longer has a playground. Sources of Information: El Paso County Assessor records; Sanborn fire insurance maps, ; Gazette-Telegraph, 8 Mar Thanks to Jeanie Spring and Tatiana Talesnick, a student who is writing for the Gazette. September 2018 Page 7 of 12

8 yet close in to town and is a beautiful setting to enjoy each other and picnic in comfort. Thank You Dona! A wonderful job to get all of us organized by checking out the menu selections at the luncheon in July from those who planned to attend. Leslie Campbell, Betsy Shoup & Judy Clarke EPCPA picnic 2018 version. It is a satisfying thing that the Board members especially enjoy since they can visit with members in greater depth than can easily happen in the more formal luncheon setting where we have a speaker to consider. EPCPA members and friends serve themselves from the bounty we all brought to share at the 2018 picnic. Photo by Haverkorn Dwight Haverkorn & Betsy Shoup check out the food! Picnic 2018 News: 33 Attended with beautiful weather and wonderful food which was delicious and thoughtfully organized by Dona who had encouraged each of us by speaking to us individually about what to bring. Each family brought a covered dish and EPCPA provided roast beef and roast pork from Rudy s. The variety was splendid and plentiful as well as tasty! Thank You to all the great cookers who made an exceptional meal that satisfied everyone! This wonderful covered porch at the Starsmore Discovery Center located at the mouth of Cheyenne Cañon is a grand place. It is secluded Chuck Harris ready to Picnic! September 2018 Page 8 of 12

9 Local History about 3 other favorite local entities! BACK PAGES - Colo. Spgs. Gazette, IN 1918 For the first time in the history of the Chamber of Commerce, women will be invited to attend the annual outing which will be held at Glen Eyrie next Tuesday. Invitations that were sent out from the Chamber of Commerce yesterday to all members bore the inscription, yourself and lady. IN 1943 Hot Air Balloons on the Follow The Setting Sun monument pay respect to Dewey & Jeannie Reinhard. Many Thanks! Photo by Haverkorn, May 22, 2013 Balloons! History Flies!! By the time you read this issue this Labor Day weekend event will have seen those wonderful Balloons rise up above Memorial Park and Prospect Lake in a delightful display of human ingenuity that delights us each year! Thanks go to that amazing couple Dewey and Jeanie Reinhard for the pleasure of this event that celebrates all those qualities that we admire! Just as wonderful as these other local wonders that we can see each day, the Labor Day Lift Off is one that we look forward to because it is a once a year. However if you live on the east side of town and look out and up on some wonderful Summer mornings when all is quiet there will come floating by one or sometimes two of these splendid examples of human brainpower that is amazing and at the same gives a lasting memory of human endeavors that grace our lives with the pleasure of learning! Pioneer residents are expected to join in the annual picnic of the El Paso County Pioneer association to be held at Stratton Park August 12. The picnic is for members of the association and their families. It is to be a basket lunch affair, each family taking its own. A transportation committee, headed by Mrs. H. H. Sinton, will see to it that all who wish to attend have transportation. IN 1968 You ve seen him on Bell Telephone Hour, Kraft Music Hall and The Mike Douglas Show. You ve heard him on Arthur Godfrey s radio show, Epic Records and Arpeggio Records. Now hear him in person! The maestro of ragtime piano. The Rocky Mountain Ballet Company presents A Night with Max Morath at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Sept Reserved seats $3.50. COLORADO SPRINGS PIONEERS MUSEUM Thank You both, Dewey and Jeanie, for wonderful memories of amazing balloons! September 2018 Page 9 of 12 Thank You Diana Francese for work on the Back Pages.

10 History you are a part of it! Who tells us that this is the situation? Give a gift to your loved ones. You telling a short story of your family - a picnic, a birthday, a Christening, save you for those loved ones!! You Are The Sound and Picture of History EPCPA members Peter Blaney and Dave Rickert are ready to video a story you have to tell for your family and friends. They have done several of these and family reaction is good. We want to tell these short tales that record a snippet of us for them. Remember those old cameras that made a film of family with no sound, well now we can have your voice and you in sound and color! Peter Blaney Video with Sound!! Your Voice! It is important! Think how much you would love to hear your Grandparents voice! You can have the sound and video to give to loved ones Peter Blaney & Dave Rickert under the auspices of EPCPA are ready to help you give this gift to your family and posterity. Talk with any EPCPA Board members to see if you d like to save some history in living color and sound. There will not be a charge for this unless you want to purchase copies. We want to save these local stories to show and tell about life here. Luncheon Meetings on Fridays Feb. 23, April 27, July 27, Picnic - Fri., Aug. 10, 11am to 1pm Sept. 28, Nov. 16 The Gift of You! Lorena Bymaster 04/29/ /24/2018 Rosalie Hill 10/25/ /10/18 We shall miss them, there will be an empty chair. Ready, Set, Tell Your Story To give your family the gift of a piece of family history is a fun and happy thing that you can tell them! Just think how you would like to hear and see your Grandparents tell you a bit about themselves! You are living and giving history! There is a temptation is to think you won t sound good, wrong! You will sound like the person your family loves!! What a splendid gift to give them your words in your voice!!! Board of Directors Meetings rd Wednesdays, 2 pm. Jan. 18, March 21, May 16, Oct. 17

11 A Balloon with a view! Well, the view from this editor s west facing deck... looking over to Austin Bluffs/Palmer Park. Thanks again Dewey! Mary & Mike Peck looking good for EPCPA photo! ************* Renew your Membership! Give a gift membership! It will last a year. Contributing Member: $25 per member or $45 per couple Supporting Member: $50 per member or $90 per couple Sustaining Member: $75 per member or $135 per couple Patron Member: $100 per member or $180 per couple Dues Plus! Additional Donation for Monument expenses Thanks! Make Checks payable to EPCPA Please send your membership and or monument donation to: EPCPA, 4705 Brady Place, Co. Sp. CO Name Address Apt No. City State Zip Code Telephone Check No. Amount Date

12 Vol. 24 No. 4 September 2018 El Paso County Pioneers Association 4705 Brady Place Colorado Springs, CO Notice of Meeting and Luncheon Reservation Sheet The Shop in the Pioneers Museum has something for everyone and at the right price. Notice of Meeting and Luncheon Reservation Sheet The Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 luncheon meeting of the El Paso County Pioneers Association will be st held at the Eagles Aerie, 1050 South 21 Street, Co. Sp. CO, Menu: Square Rolls, Salad w/ranch Dressing, Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Green Beans, Chocolate Pudding. Speaker: John Gartin - The Viking Exploration Doors open at 11:30, lunch is served at 12:00, the cost is $12.00 per person. Bring a friend to Lunch! Please remember that you must pay in advance! We need to get information to the kitchen. Make Check payable to EPCPA - Mail to: EPCPA, 4705 Brady Place, Colorado Springs, CO PLEASE RETURN THIS PORTION WITH YOUR CHECK BY September 23, 2018 EPCPA, 4705 Brady Place, Co. Sp. CO Cost $12. ea. Your Check is your reservation. Thanks! Name Telephone Guest(s) Ck. No. Amt. $ Num. Reservations