General William Jackson Palmer
Gen. Palmer Statue
Palmer High School in background
Gen. Palmer Statue
Looking towards Pikes Peak
Plaque commemorating Palmer
Union Station, Denver
If you have ever been to downtown Colorado Springs, you probably saw the statue of a man on a horse in the middle of the street across from Palmer High School. The statue commemorates General William Jackson Palmer who is known as the founder of Colorado Springs. His life is an interesting story.
General Palmer was a soldier, an explorer, an empire builder, and statesman. Most importantly, to our city he was the biggest benefactor to Colorado Springs. Besides his generosity, General Palmer was also a very considerate gentleman.
He was born in 1836 in Delaware. He was a soldier in the Civil War, and then he was put in charge of building the Kansas-Pacific Railroad from St. Louis to Denver. While he was building his railroad, he saw the beautiful spot that is now our city of Colorado Springs. Remember, there were no buildings or anything here at that time. The sheer beauty of the surrounding mountains and countryside impressed him.
The Kansas-Pacific Railroad only went as far as Denver, so General Palmer decided to try to find funding to build his own railroad to continue down the front range of the mountains. On July 31, 1871 Colorado Springs welcomed the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. General Palmer then devoted himself and his resources to build a small colony at the base of Pikes Peak.
Palmer wanted to establish a healthy quality of life in Colorado Springs. The city became a health resort for those suffering from tuberculosis. The general also believed in good transportation, abundant parkland and quality education. He did not want anyone making or selling liquor within the city limits either!
General Palmer gave many acres of land throughout the city for parks, large, wide streets, and trails. Plus, he gave land for Colorado College, Cragmor Tuberculosis Sanitarium, the Deaf and Blind School, Penrose Public Library and many churches. Overall, the General's gifts to our city were worth approximately four million dollars!
In October 1906, General Palmer was injured by a fall from a horse near the entrance to the Garden of the Gods. He amazed the medical world by staying alive for more than two years. The General died at his Glen Eyrie Castle in March 1909.
Sources:
Painted by: Kathy Barnes
Written By: Carole Hiegert