Historic Colorado Springs Districts - Virtual and Walking Tours

While Zebulon Pike traveled through the area in November of 1806 and is credited for 'discovering' Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs history began in 1859 with being the first settlement in the region. Ten years later, General William Jackson Palmer, who founded Colorado Springs, fell in love with the scenery and in 1871 the resort town that Palmer had envisioned started to become a reality.

In 2003, the City of Colorado Springs was awarded a grant from the Colorado Historical Society to update and expand a 1985 historic and architectural survey of the Downtown. Funds enabled consultants to create inventory forms and take photographs that characterized 165 historic resources. One product of this effort is this walking tour of the central portion of Downtown. Properties included in the survey, along with buildings listed on the National Register and State Register, are displayed to help citizens and visitors appreciate these significant properties.

The activity which is the subject of this material has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Historic Preservation Act, administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior and for the Colorado Historical Society. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior or the Society, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior or the Society.

This program receives Federal funds from the National Park Service. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in the departmental Federally assisted programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 'C' Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20240.

The following tours within Colorado Springs provide an overview of the countless gems throughout the City that showcase the scenic beauty, the 'City of Millionaires' as well as the various historic districts, neighborhoods and hidden treasures.

Walking Tours of Downtown Colorado Springs