Focus On… History

Garden of the Gods
The name “Garden of the Gods” dates back to the mid-19th century when two Denver surveyors proclaimed that the area was a place “…fit for the Gods to assemble.” Twenty years later, in 1879, Charles Elliott Perkins bought the land to establish a summer home. However, Perkins instead opted to leave the land in its natural state and allow the public to witness the sensational sandstone formations just as nature had built them. He hoped the land would become an official public park but died in 1907 before his hopes came to fruition. Knowing their father’s love of the land, Perkins’ children gifted the 480 acres to the city of Colorado Springs on Christmas Day 1909, and it has since become a fascinating tourist destination for folks near and far.

Where is Garden of the Gods?
Garden of the Gods
1805 N. 30th Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Photo from the 2021 CCL photo contest by Michelle Thompson, a Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member from Colorado Springs. Click here to enter this year’s photo contest before December 17.