Broadmoor, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Broadmoor, Colorado
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landform and neighborhood
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Broadmoor Casino, with Broadmoor house on the right, in 1891.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | El Paso County |
| Municipality | Colorado Springs |
| ID GNIS 193527 GNIS 201193 |
Feature Populated place Cheyenne Lake |
Broadmoor is a lovely neighborhood located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It's known for its beautiful scenery and interesting history.
Contents
Exploring Broadmoor's Location
Broadmoor was first described in 1901 as a flat area, or plain, within Colorado Springs. This area is quite unique. It stretches out from the flat plain. It also goes up along the northern part of Cheyenne Mountain. The neighborhood even reaches into the valley of Cheyenne Creek. This creek starts nearby at North Cheyenne Cañon Park.
Neighboring Communities
Broadmoor is surrounded by several other neighborhoods. To the north, you'll find Upper and Lower Skyway. Ivywild is to the northeast. Stratton Meadows is located to the east. Finally, Neal Ranch can be found to the south.
Broadmoor's Fascinating History
The story of Broadmoor began in the 1880s. Two men, Willie Wilcox and James Pourtales, bought the Broadmoor Dairy. Willie Wilcox was a rich man who moved to Colorado for his health. James Pourtales was a count from Prussia. They had a big idea to make the area more appealing. They built a dam on part of Cheyenne Creek. This created a man-made lake on the dairy's land. Their goal was to build a fancy hotel and casino.
Building a Resort Destination
The city of Colorado Springs needed more water. So, they kept taking water from the creek. Wilcox and Pourtales went to court. They won the case and were given the rights to the water. Their company later went out of business. It was then reorganized as the Broadmoor Land and Investment Company. In 1893, a company from London and New York bought their organization. They finished building the lake and casino in 1897. The area was beautifully landscaped. It had special grounds for polo and golf games. There were also activities like pigeon shooting and gambling. The resort and casino were designed for wealthy guests. The buildings looked like grand European castles.
Early 1900s Development
By 1898, Broadmoor was about 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of the city limits. It stretched for about 2 miles (3.2 km). The Broadmoor Dairy was owned by Dr. Robert M. Smith at this time. Piedmont was a small area located south of Broadmoor's eastern side. The Broadmoor Casino and the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club were easy to reach. You could get there by taking the Colorado Springs and Interurban Railway Cheyenne Canon streetcar line.
Broadmoor as a Fashionable Suburb
In 1916, Broadmoor was known as a very stylish suburb. Many beautiful mansions lined Cheyenne Road. The Colorado Springs Gun Club had a location in Broadmoor. The Myron Stratton Home was also in Broadmoor. The Broadmoor resort even had its own electric light plant and greenhouse.
The Broadmoor Hotel Opens
The famous The Broadmoor hotel opened its doors in 1918. It included the amazing Broadmoor Golf Club. A year later, in 1919, aircraft flights began from fields next to the hotel. This made it even more exciting for visitors.
Joining Colorado Springs
Broadmoor was one of five suburbs that became part of Colorado Springs in 1980. The other areas were Ivywild, Skyway, Cheyenne Canon, and Stratton Meadows. This annexation added about 6.5 square miles (17 sq km) to the city. It also added 20,000 people to Colorado Springs' population. The Colorado Supreme Court confirmed this annexation in 1982.
