The way we were/ Historian pictures city's past and present

If one picture is worth 1,000 words, then Leland Feitz is eloquent beyond imagining. In his new book, "A Pictorial History of Colorado Springs," he reveals the city we once were through 120 mostly rare photographs that date back to 1871.

How many of us remember the first Antlers Hotel? Or even the second? Who can recall how The Broadmoor looked before Broadmoor South, and West, and so on? Who among us attended some gala event at the Burns Opera House?

Those who answer "I do!" are about as rare as the photos themselves.

Feitz, 76, has published 18 books on Colorado and the Pikes Peak region, and owns his own publishing company, Little London Press.

This, his latest and perhaps last book, he says, reveals the way we were: A town that once had hitching posts and wide boulevards, grand churches and grander hotels.

"I think Colorado Springs was most interesting between the time (Gen. William) Palmer founded it (in 1872) up until the '50s," Feitz says. "Those were our glamorous years."

Those were the years of mining and railroads, when a city grew up out of the plains at the foot of Pikes Peak.

As he looked at the old photos, most of which he found at the Old Colorado City History Center, Feitz says he was struck by "what a cultural community it was - an orchestra, opera house and all. We had Colorado College, and all the elegant north end homes, and beautiful churches. It was a classy town."

Some of those things remain virtually unchanged. The old homes endure (albeit modernized inside), Garden of the Gods remains untrammeled by the 21st century, and some of our best buildings still stand. Notably, Cutler Hall on the Colorado College campus, the Mining Exchange Building and the YWCA building, both downtown. The Broadmoor has stood the test of time, as have some of our elegant churches, he says.

Feitz believes we've lost some things.

The Burns Opera House, later the Burns Theater, was torn down to create a parking lot in 1973. The site of the once-elegant Alta Vista Hotel, closed in 1961 and razed in 1963, is now a Firestone Tire Center at the corner of Cascade Avenue and Bijou Street.

"They called it progress," he says.

"But we saved one of our best buildings," the old El Paso County Courthouse, which now is the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

Other things about the town have changed, too, says Feitz, who has lived in the city since the 1940s.

"Mostly, the tempo," he says. "This was a pretty slow-moving community - without traffic problems. You could see people you knew on the street every day and you could stop and talk to them. Now, we have all these traffic problems and you don't see anybody you know on the street."

Once, Colorado Springs' nickname was Little London, for its cultural bent and "high society." Half a century ago, and even more recently, "people dressed up for social events. Women wore long dresses and men wore dark suits. Now you go to the symphony and everybody is in jeans," Feitz says. "I guess you could say we've lost our style."

The biggest loss, for him, is people like author Helen Hunt Jackson or journalist-historian Dorothy Aldridge.

But there have been positive changes, too, Feitz says.

"Downtown has never looked better," despite some old buildings that were razed. "It looks really nice with all the flowers and trees and sculptures."

The city's parks also look good, he says, and he's glad they took out the road that ran through the center of Garden of the Gods and restricted it to foot traffic.

"That's a big improvement."

Some of our best remnants of times past include the Garden of the Gods, The Broadmoor and some of the great old buildings downtown, all of which are featured in the book.

There also are some gems in adjacent Manitou Springs, notably the Miramont Castle museum, the historic Briarhurst Manor restaurant and the newly restored Cliff House hotel.

"I think (we're) finally getting a little more like the Europeans," Feitz says. "We finally believe it's better to save an old building than to turn it into a parking lot."

He turns his book to the cover, which depicts the view of downtown looking down Pikes Peak Avenue toward the mountain after which the street is named. At the end is the second incarnation of the Antlers Hotel, a stately facade just brimming with character.

"The old Antlers never should have been torn down," he says, wistfully. "It could have been one of America's great old hotels."

- Linda DuVal may be reached at 636-0371 or duval@gazette.com. Edited and headline by Bob Ehlert

Colorado Springs Historic Tour No. 1

Many of the landmarks pictured in "A Pictorial History of Colorado Springs" may still be seen. These suggested tours will guide the curious by some of them. The numbers in parentheses are the page numbers from the book that refer to locations selected for the tour.

Start at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (22) at 215 S. Tejon St. After seeing that beautiful building and its extensive collection focusing on Colorado Springs history, drive west on Vermijo Avenue to Cascade Avenue and make a right turn. Continue north, crossing Pikes Peak Avenue (6). Drive up Cascade (15) to the Colorado College campus. Look for Cutler Hall (9) on the left.

At Uintah Street, make a right turn and go to Nevada Avenue. Make another right turn there. At Cache La Poudre, turn right again. Then, turn to the left on Tejon Street. See the unique Congregational Church (16) at the St. Vrain Street intersection and the El Paso Club (23) where Tejon Street crosses Platte Avenue. Continue south on Tejon (39) and make a right-hand turn on Pikes Peak. Then, turn left on Nevada after seeing the Mining Exchange Building (40).

A statue of Winfield Scott Stratton, its builder, stands where Pikes Peak intersects Nevada. Drive north on Nevada to Kiowa Street. See the old YWCA Building (28) and the City Hall (22). Turn right on Kiowa Street (19). When the street dead-ends at the gate of the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (19), turn right to Pikes Peak Avenue. Turn left on Pikes Peak and head east to Union Boulevard and the Union Printers Home (25), where you can drive around the grounds.

Tour No. 2: Driving and walking

Many of the landmarks pictured in "A Pictorial History of Colorado Springs" may still be seen. This suggested tour will guide the curious by some of them. The numbers in parentheses refer to the page numbers in the book.

This tour starts at Bancroft Park in Old Colorado City (48), at West Colorado Avenue and 24th Street. At that location see the historic cabin, Carnegie Library and First National Bank Building - now the Michael Garman Gallery.

Visit the Old Colorado City History Center, which faces the park. Walk along Colorado Avenue (47), Colorado Springs' first "Main Street."

Continue west on Colorado (49, 7, 50) to Manitou Springs. Drive up Manitou Avenue (64) to the Y. Take the left road, Ruxton Avenue. See Miramont (formerly Montcalm) Castle (62), the Pikes Peak Cog Railway Depot (57), and - on the way back down - the Iron Springs Chateau (55).

Drive up to the Cave of the Winds (56), just off Highway 24, and leave the cave by way of Williams Canyon. Back in Manitou, park and stroll. See the town clock (53), the Spa Building (61), the Barker House (54) and the newly restored Cliff House (63).

Book signing

Local historian Leland Feitz, author of numerous books on the Pikes Peak region, will sign copies of his new photo book, "A Pictorial History of Colorado Springs," featuring 120 rare photographs, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Barnes & Noble at The Citadel.

The book includes photos from the inception of the city until the 1960s, many of which are locked away in the archives of the Old Colorado City History Center. Feitz, who owns Little London Press, got permission to reprint them for this book.

Copyright 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.