A
city of about 500,000 located in
Colorado,
United States of America. The
county seat of
El Paso County. Nestled under the magnificent
Pikes Peak, which is 14,410 feet above the far-away
seas. The city itself is above 6,000 feet.
Many government agencies work out of "the Springs." The United States Air Force Academy is just north of town. Peterson Air Force Base and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) cooperate as the American Space Command headquarters. The Army also has a presence at Fort Carson south of the city.
General William Jackson Palmer, a former Civil War general and railroad tycoon, founded the city in 1871. His intentions of having the town become a resort didn't pan out.
Colorado Springs gained nation-wide fame as a place to cure tuberculosis. Many believed that the thin, dry air in Colorado somehow reduced the severity of the disease. Greater fame came with the gold rush of 1891.
The Springs is home to many attractions. The Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, the impressive Seven Falls, the Olympic Training Center (where many American Olympic hopefuls go for practice), the Pioneers Museum, and the Broadmoor. Focus on the Family has its headquarters here.
Technology industries play a large role in the city's economy. Hewlett-Packard/Agilent, MCI Worldcom, Rockwell, and soon-to-build Intel have company branches.