COLORADO SPRINGS

city, seat (1873) of El Paso county, central Colorado, U.S. It stands on a mesa (6,008 feet ) near the eastern base of Pikes Peak, east of Pike National Forest. Founded in 1871 as Fountain Colony by General William J. Palmer, builder of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, it was renamed for the nearby Manitou mineral springs. Growth of the area followed the Cripple Creek gold strikes in the 1890s and the promotion of the touristhealth-resort trade. In 1917 Colorado Springs consolidated with Colorado City (founded 1859 as El Dorado City). The establishment of military installations gave further impetus to development. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the U.S. Space Command are headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base (1942). The hollowed-out interior of nearby Cheyenne Mountain houses the command and control facilities of NORAD and of other agencies; since 1966 it has been a primary base for aerospace defense and for the tracking of orbiting objects. Fort Carson (1942) is on the city's southern edge, while the U.S. Air Force Academy (1954) is set against a backdrop of the Rampart Range. The Garden of the Gods, a natural park with red sandstone monoliths, is one of many scenic attractions in the area. The city is the site of Colorado College (1874), the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (1965), and Nazarene Bible College (1967). The city is well-served by rail, road, and air links. Inc. town, 1872; city, 1886. Pop. (1990) city, 280,430; Colorado Springs MSA, 397,014; (1994 est.) city, 316,480; Colorado Springs MSA, 454,220.