Monument Valley Park facts for kids
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Monument Valley Park
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Location | Approximately bounded by Monroe, Culebra, Westview, and Bijou Sts., the BNSF railway line, and the western edge of the main north/south trail, all north of Del Norte, Colorado Springs, Colorado |
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| Area | 147.7 acres |
| Architect | Works Progress Administration; Charles W. Leavitt, Jr; Edmond C. van Diest; MacLauren & Thomas |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements, WPA Rustic, Rustic |
| NRHP reference No. | 06001287 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | 2007 |
Monument Valley Park is a super cool historic park in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A pretty stream called Monument Creek flows right through it. This park is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's also on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties.
Contents
Where is Monument Valley Park?
This park is right in the middle of Colorado Springs. It's about 2 miles long! Monument Creek runs through the park's center. This creek flows from West Monroe south to West Bijou. The park forms the western edge of the downtown area.
On the west side, you'll find Interstate 25 and the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway. On the east side, there are houses. Monument Creek flows from north to south.
Park History
How the Park Started
General William Jackson Palmer gave the land for Monument Valley Park to Colorado Springs. He wanted it to be a "park for the people." The park was built between 1904 and 1907. It had beautiful gardens, walking paths, and ponds with bridges. There was also a tennis court, playgrounds, and a special garden. This garden showed off Colorado's trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. General Palmer wanted the park to mix fancy gardens with natural areas.
Palmer also really wanted to find the mineral springs. These springs gave the city its name. They had been covered by sand during floods. He hoped to make a gathering spot around a spring in the park. Palmer found a spring in 1904. He had engineers build a concrete vault to keep the water clean. A hand pump was added to bring water to the surface. Palmer planned to build a pavilion there. He wanted to name the spring "Tahama Spring." This name honored Zebulon Pike's Native American guide.
In 1914, Spencer Penrose gave money for the park's swimming pool. Years after Palmer passed away in 1909, a pavilion was planned to honor him. This pavilion was finished in 1926. It made Palmer's dream come true. It became a public meeting place at the city's original spring.
The Big Flood of 1935
A huge flood hit the park on Memorial Day in 1935. Heavy rains caused Monument Creek to overflow. The flood damaged the park badly. Three bridges were lost, and the swimming pool filled with mud. Many trees were pulled up, and paths were covered in dirt. Lakes in the park were washed away. Pavilions were also destroyed. The park looks very different today because of this flood.
Park Renovation by WPA
After the flood, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped fix the park. The WPA was a government program that created jobs. They built stone walls along the creek. They also made new bridges, rock steps, and benches. They used wood and local stone for a natural, rustic look. A grandstand was built for one of the baseball fields. Stone markers with bronze plaques were put up. These markers honored the WPA's work. Some things, like a lake and some gardens, were not replaced.
Becoming a Historic Place
In 2007, Monument Valley Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened 100 years after General Palmer gave the park to the city. The Historic Preservation Alliance and the Friends of Monument Valley Park worked hard to make this happen.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Monument Valley Park is a great place to have fun! It has paths for hiking, biking, and walking. You can play basketball, tennis, soccer, baseball, and volleyball. The park also has the city's first public swimming pool. Plus, there are playgrounds for kids.
The park is split into two parts by Uintah Street. There's a northern section and a southern section.
South Side Fun
On the south side, west of Monument Creek, you'll find lots of activities. There's the South Field, a sand volleyball area, and a picnic pavilion. You can also find the swimming pool, a playground, and tennis courts. Some tennis courts are even painted for pickleball!
A large pavilion is in the south section of the park. It can hold up to 200 people. It's near the swimming pool. Tennis courts, basketball courts, sand volleyball, and play fields are all close by. You can even use electric outlets and large grills if you ask.
The swimming pool is open all summer, starting Memorial Day weekend. It has locker rooms. There are also picnic tables in a big grassy area nearby.
North Side Fun
In the middle of the northern part of the park, there's a picnic shelter and a play field. Boddington Park is at the very northern end of the park.
Park Trails
The park has a 2.25-mile North Loop Trail and a 2-mile South Loop Trail. Together, they make 4.25 miles of trails! There's also a 1-mile Fitness Course.
Pikes Peak Greenway Trails
The Pikes Peak Greenway trail runs through Monument Valley Park. There are trails on both sides of Monument Creek. You can find one section north of Uintah and another south of Uintah.
The trails on the western side connect to other trails. From the northern part of Monument Valley Park, you can reach the Mesa Springs Greenway or the Mesa Valley Trail. The Mesa Springs Greenway also connects with the southern part of Monument Valley Park.
Beautiful Gardens
General Palmer's wildflower garden is now the Formal Gardens. These gardens are full of colorful flowers like roses, tulips, and zinnias. They are at the very south end of the park, near Bijou Street. The City Greenhouse and H.A.S. Demonstration Garden are on Glen Avenue.
Friends of Monument Valley Park
The Friends of Monument Valley Park is a group that helps the park. They started in 2000. Their goal is to help fix up, protect, and improve the park. People can volunteer to help them. They have planted trees in the park on Arbor Day.
Park Events
The Friends of Monument Valley Park organize fun events every year:
- General Palmer Day: This event is held on July 31st. It's a chance to experience what life was like in the early 1900s. People are encouraged to dress up in old-fashioned clothes. They bring their own picnic dinners. The evening event at the Pavilion includes history, music, and ice cream!
- Lilac Day: This day is in mid-May and honors William Palmer. It has been celebrated since the park first opened. The Friends group started planting lilacs in 2002. They also organize cleanup days at the park. In 2012, they planted General Palmer's favorite lilacs.
- Bird Walk: In May, you can join a bird walk. In 2012, a group spotted 20 different kinds of birds!
- Musical Mondays: These concerts started in 2008. They are the main summer event.
