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61-398: Dominico Venetucci, known to his friends as "Nick," was born July 23, 1911, in the community of Papetown , near Colorado Springs, Colorado . He was one of seven children of Nicholas and Marguerita Venetucci, immigrants from Italy . His father worked as a coal miner , with the family slowly saving enough money to purchase a small farm in 1936. Venetucci worked for his family orchard and was

122-951: A pride parade called PrideFest in July, the Greek Festival, the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon, and the Steers & Beers Whiskey and Beer Festival in August, and the Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival in nearby Manitou Springs and Arts Month in October. The Colorado Springs Festival of Lights Parade is held the first Saturday in December. The parade is held on Tejon Street in Downtown Colorado Springs. In 2017, Colorado had

183-664: A North Korean propaganda video released in April 2013, Colorado Springs was singled out as one of four targets for a missile strike. The video failed to pinpoint Colorado Springs on the map, instead showing a spot somewhere in Louisiana. Colorado Springs, dubbed Olympic City USA, is home to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center and the headquarters of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and

244-623: A bitcoin mining facility. Microchip Technology (formerly Atmel ), is a chip fabrication organization. The Apple Inc. facility was sold to Sanmina-SCI in 1996. Almost immediately following the arrival of railroads beginning in 1871, the city's location at the base of Pikes Peak and the Rocky Mountains made it a popular tourism destination. Tourism is the third largest employer in the Pikes Peak region, accounting for more than 16,000 jobs. In 2018, 23 million day and overnight visitors came to

305-580: A caddy at the Patty Jewett and Broadmoor golf courses. In 1933, at the age of 22, Venetucci began a baseball career in the New York Yankees organization. As a catcher he was moved from Class D to Class A in the minor leagues. Venetucci's career was interrupted when his family bought the farm in Security, Colorado , and Venetucci went home to work on the family farm. In 1942, 800 acres (3.2 km) of

366-529: A community-centric flower farm in addition to reviving the beloved Venetucci Pumpkin Patch tradition every October. Additionally, Dream Catcher Weddings has partnered with them to renovate and revive the property into a beautiful, rustic wedding and events venue. Papeton, Colorado Papeton , was a coal mining town, now in the area of Venetian Village, a neighborhood in Colorado Springs, Colorado , that

427-684: A free pumpkin on the site and a tradition was born. In all it is reckoned that more than 1 million pumpkins were given away by the Venetucci farm over half a century of Halloweens. Over the years, Venetucci won many awards at the Colorado State Fair for his farm products. In 1950s Venetucci became known as "The Pumpkin Man" as he received national recognition for his benevolence. "The Pumpkin Man's" fame went national in 1985 with an article in Reader's Digest . He

488-453: A median value of $ 130,645 to $ 158,730. Among several annexations of what had been Papeton, Papeton Addition of 0.76 acres (0.31 ha) was annexed into Colorado Springs on January 1, 1968. It was one of several small towns—like Ivywild , Pikeview and Roswell —to become part of Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Colorado , United States. It

549-414: A mile to the north, and moved to the town due to miner's labor issues after they were forcibly removed from their homes by strikebreakers. The 150 men, women and children were led by John Pape. The Curtis mine, established by W.W. Curtis in 1899, was a Cragmor area mine. The plat for the town was filed on May 13, 1901 in which Pape divided up the land for the town into 180 lots. The town—bounded by

610-520: Is 1.4 miles (2.3 km) west southwest of Palmer Park . It is located at 6,184 feet (1,885 m) in elevation. It was a coal mining town, named for Colorado Springs banker and broker John H. Pape, was inhabited by Southern European immigrants, many Italian, who came to Colorado directly after arriving in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. The town was inhabited by individuals who had mined at nearby Curtis, another mining town 1/2

671-473: Is a frequent backdrop for political thrillers and military-themed stories because of its many military installations and vital importance to the United States' continental defense. Notable television series using the city as a setting include Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman , Homicide Hunter and the Stargate series Stargate SG-1 , as well as the films WarGames , The Prestige , and BlacKkKlansman . In

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732-467: Is based in Colorado Springs. A large percentage of Colorado Springs's economy is still based on manufacturing high-tech and complex electronic equipment. The high-tech sector in the Colorado Springs area has decreased its overall presence from 2000 to 2006 (from around 21,000 to around 8,000), with notable reductions in information technology and complex electronic equipment. Current trends project

793-841: Is home to a professional baseball team, The Rocky Mountain Vibes who are a member of the Pioneer League an MLB Partner League The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), also known as The Race to the Clouds, is an annual invitational automobile and motorcycle hill climb to the summit of Pikes Peak , every year on the last Sunday of June. The highway wasn't completely paved until 2011. The local colleges feature many sports teams. Notable among them are several nationally competitive NCAA Division I teams: United States Air Force Academy (Falcons) Football, Basketball and Hockey and Colorado College (Tigers) Hockey, and Women's Soccer. Colorado Springs

854-666: Is located at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex . Within the mountain complex, the Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station has been operated by Space Operations Command . On January 13, 2021, the Air Force announced a new permanent home for Space Command, moving it from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama in 2026, but the decision could be reversed by Congress. Army divisions are trained and stationed at Fort Carson . The United States Air Force Academy

915-506: Is one of the most active lightning strike areas in the United States. This natural phenomenon led Nikola Tesla to select Colorado Springs as the preferred location to build his lab and study electricity. December is typically the coldest month, averaging 30.8 °F (−0.7 °C). Historically, January had been the coldest month, but, in recent years, December has had both lower daily maxima and minima. Typically, there are 5.2 nights with sub-0 °F (−18 °C) lows and 23.6 days where

976-424: Is the largest city north of Mexico above 6000 feet in elevation. The Ute , Arapaho and Cheyenne peoples were the first recorded inhabiting the area which would become Colorado Springs. Part of the territory included in the United States' 1803 Louisiana Purchase , the current city area was designated part of the 1854 Kansas Territory . In 1859, after the first local settlement was established, it became part of

1037-462: Is the most populous city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 census , a 15.02% increase since 2010 . Colorado Springs is the second-most populous city and the most extensive city in the state of Colorado, and the 39th-most-populous city in the United States. It is the principal city of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area , which had 755,105 residents in 2020, and

1098-627: The 2020 United States Census , the population of the City of Colorado Springs was 478,961 ( 40th most populous U.S. city ), the population of the Colorado Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area was 755,105 ( 79th most populous MSA ), and the population of the Front Range Urban Corridor was 5,055,344. As of the April 2010 census, 78.8% of the population of the city was White ( non-Hispanic Whites were 70.7% of

1159-608: The Black Forest Fire the following year. The city lies in a semi-arid Steppe climate region with the Southern Rocky Mountains to the west, the Palmer Divide to the north, high plains further east, and high desert lands to the south when leaving Fountain and approaching Pueblo . Colorado Springs is 69 miles (111 km) or one hour and five minutes south of Denver by car using I-25 . Colorado Springs has

1220-735: The Jefferson Territory on October 24 and of El Paso County on November 28. Colorado City at the Front Range confluence of Fountain and Camp creeks was "formally organized on August   13, 1859" during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush . It served as the capital of the Colorado Territory from November 5, 1861, until August 14, 1862, when the capital was moved to Golden , before it was finally moved to Denver in 1867. So many immigrants from England had settled in Colorado Springs by

1281-630: The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) headquarters, Space Operations Command, and Space Deltas 2, 3, and 7. Located at Peterson is the 302nd Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit, that transports passengers and cargo and fights wildfires. Schriever Space Force Base is responsible for Joint Task Force-Space Defense and Space Deltas 6 , 8, and 9. The NORAD and USNORTHCOM Alternate Command Center

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1342-537: The United States Anti-Doping Agency . Further, over 50 national sports organizations (non-Olympic) headquarter in Colorado Springs. These include the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Sports Incubator, a various non-Olympic Sports (such as USA Ultimate), and more. Colorado Springs and Denver hosted the 1962 World Ice Hockey Championships . The city has a long association with

1403-471: The United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum opened; the Flying W Ranch Chuckwagon Dinner & Western Show reopened in 2020. A new Pikes Peak Summit Complex opened at the 14,115-foot summit in 2021. The Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway also reopened in 2021. The downtown Colorado Springs Visitor Information Center offers free area information to leisure and business travelers. The Cultural Office of

1464-1001: The greatest total area of any municipality in Colorado. At the 2020 United States Census , the city had a total area of 195.761 square miles (507.019 km ) including 0.362 square miles (0.937 km ) of water. Colorado Springs has a cooler, dry-winter semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSk ), and its location just east of the Rocky Mountains affords it the rapid warming influence from chinook winds during winter but also subjects it to drastic day-to-day variability in weather conditions. The city has abundant sunshine year-round, averaging 243 sunny days per year, and receives approximately 16.5 inches (419 mm) of annual precipitation . Due to unusually low precipitation for several years after flooding in 1999, Colorado Springs enacted lawn water restrictions in 2002. These were lifted in 2005 but permanently reinstated in December 2019. Colorado Springs

1525-539: The 1950s. In 1954, the Venetian Village subdivision was established between Templeton Gap , Columbine and Hancock Roads with streets named for flowers, like Primrose and Larkspur. It was designed with two churches and a shopping center. The land was purchased from the Venetucci family, who had operated a farm for 33 years and had a house in Papeton. Property values increased 20.85% between 2016 and 2017, increasing from

1586-448: The Gods is on Colorado Springs's western edge. It is a National Natural Landmark , with 300 foot (91 m) red/orange sandstone rock formations often viewed against a backdrop of the snow-capped Pikes Peak. This park is free to the public and offers many recreational opportunities, such as hiking, rock climbing, cycling, horseback riding and tours. It offers a variety of annual events, one of

1647-645: The Pikes Peak Region (COPPeR), also downtown, supports and advocates for the arts throughout the Pikes Peak Region. It operates the PeakRadar website to communicate city events. Colorado Springs is home to the annual Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off , a hot air balloon festival that takes place over Labor Day weekend at the city's Memorial Park . Other annual events include: a comic book convention and science fiction convention called GalaxyFest in February,

1708-545: The Pikes Peak region's economy. Colorado Springs is home to the Peterson Space Force Base , Schriever Space Force Base , Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station , U.S. Space Command, and Space Operations Command— the largest contingent of space service military installations. They are responsible for intelligence gathering, space operations, and cyber missions. Peterson Space Force Base is responsible for

1769-479: The SNIA Technology Center. Keysight Technologies , spun off in 2014 from Agilent , which was itself spun off from HP in 1999 as an independent, publicly traded company, has its oscilloscope research and development division based in Colorado Springs. Intel had 250 employees in 2009. The Intel facility is now used for the centralized unemployment offices, social services, El Paso county offices, and

1830-688: The Town of Colorado Springs. On December 1, 1880, Colorado Springs expanded northward with two annexations. The second period of annexations was during 1889–90, and included Seavey's Addition, West Colorado Springs, East End, and another North End addition. In 1891 the Broadmoor Land Company built the Broadmoor suburb, which included the Broadmoor Casino , and by December 12, 1895, the city had "four Mining Exchanges and 275 mining brokers." By 1898,

1891-526: The Venetucci farm were sold to the U.S. Army for $ 10 an acre to assist in the establishment of Camp Carson . Only 210 acres (0.85 km) were left in the family's hands after the sale. Venetucci married his wife, Bambi, in 1984, following a courtship of 27 years. The Venetucci pumpkin giveaways began in the 1950s. One day, Venetucci recalled, he was driving with a load of pumpkins and he just began stopping and giving away pumpkins to every child he saw. Later, children began stopping by his patch and receiving

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1952-548: The area, contributing $ 2.4 billion in revenue. Colorado Springs has more than 55 attractions and activities in the area, including Garden of the Gods park, United States Air Force Academy , the ANA Money Museum, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo , Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College , Old Colorado City , The National Museum of World War II Aviation, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center . In 2020,

2013-574: The city include the Nielson Addition and Vineyard Commerce Park Annexation in September 2008. On June 23, 2012, the Waldo Canyon fire began 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of the city. The fire ended up destroying 347 homes and killing two people in the city. In total, over 32,000 residents had to be evacuated. At the time the fire was the most destructive in state history until it was surpassed by

2074-569: The city receives the majority of its annual rainfall, due to the North American monsoon . The first autumn freeze and the last freeze in the spring, on average, occur on October 2 and May 6, respectively; the average window for measurable snowfall (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) is October 21 through April 25. Extreme temperatures range from 101 °F (38 °C) on June 26, 2012 and most recently on June 21, 2016, down to −27 °F (−33 °C) on February 1, 1951, and December 9, 1919. As of

2135-475: The city the tongue-in-cheek nicknames "the Evangelical Vatican" and "The Christian Mecca". Religious groups with regional or international headquarters in Colorado Springs include: Although Colorado voters approved Colorado Amendment 64 , a constitutional amendment in 2012 legalizing retail sales of marijuana for recreational purposes, the Colorado Springs city council voted not to permit retail shops in

2196-668: The city was 35 years. Colorado Springs's economy is driven primarily by the military, the high-tech industry, and tourism, in that order. The city is experiencing growth in the service sectors. In June 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic , the unemployment rate was 3.3%. The state's unemployment rate in June 2022 was 3.4% compared to 3.6% for the nation. As of 2021 , there are nearly 45,000 active-duty troops in Colorado Springs. There are more than 100,000 veterans and thousands of reservists. The military and defense contractors supply more than 40% of

2257-466: The city was designated into quadrants by the north-south Cascade Avenue and the east-west Washington/Pikes Peak avenues. From 1899 to 1901 Tesla Experimental Station operated on Knob Hill, and aircraft flights to the Broadmoor's neighboring fields began in 1919. Alexander Airport north of the city opened in 1925, and in 1927 the original Colorado Springs Municipal Airport land was purchased east of

2318-454: The city would give up $ 25.4 million in tax revenue and fees if the city continued to thwart the industry from opening within the city limits. As of March 1, 2018, there were 131 medical marijuana centers and no recreational cannabis stores. As of 2019 Colorado Springs is still one of seven towns that have only allowed for medical marijuana. Colorado Springs has been the subject of or setting for many books, films and television shows, and

2379-505: The city, as was allowed in the amendment. Medical marijuana outlets continue to operate in Colorado Springs. In 2015, there were 91 medical marijuana clinics in the city, which reported sales of $ 59.6 million in 2014, up 11 percent from the previous year but without recreational marijuana shops. On April 26, 2016, Colorado Springs city council decided to extend the current six-month moratorium to eighteen months with no new licenses to be granted until May 2017. A scholarly paper suggested

2440-633: The city. The city's military presence began during World War II , beginning with Camp Carson (now the 135,000-acre Fort Carson base) that was established in 1941. During the war, the United States Army Air Forces leased land adjacent to the municipal airfield, naming it Peterson Field in December 1942. In November 1950, Ent Air Force Base was selected as the Cold War headquarters for Air Defense Command (ADC). The former WWII Army Air Base, Peterson Field, which had been inactivated at

2501-527: The city. In 1977 most of the former Ent AFB became a US Olympic training center . The Libertarian Party was founded within the city in the 1970s. On October 1, 1981, the Broadmoor Addition, Cheyenne Canon, Ivywild , Skyway, and Stratton Meadows were annexed after the Colorado Supreme Court "overturned a district court decision that voided the annexation ". Further annexations expanding

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2562-531: The early 1870s that Colorado Springs was locally referred to as "Little London". In 1871 the Colorado Springs Company laid out the towns of La Font (later called Manitou Springs ) and Fountain Colony , upstream and downstream respectively, of Colorado City. Within a year, Fountain Colony was renamed Colorado Springs and officially incorporated. The El Paso County seat shifted from Colorado City in 1873 to

2623-511: The end of the war, was re-opened in 1951 as a U.S. Air Force base .  North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) was established as a hardened command and control center within the Cheyenne Mountain Complex during the Cold War. Between 1965 and 1968, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs , Pikes Peak State College and Colorado Technical University were established in or near

2684-596: The federal government to protect Colorado Springs and Papeton from floods. An airstrip was built on 320 acres owned by the Colorado Springs Company west of Papeton by Winfield E. Bowersox, who learned to fly and attained his pilot's license in 1913 from the Wright Aviation School . The airstrip was about four blocks from the end of the street car line. Papeton was adjacent to the Nichols Field in

2745-401: The high does not rise above freezing. Snowfall is usually moderate and remains on the ground briefly because of direct sun, with the city receiving 38 inches (97 cm) per season, although the mountains to the west often receive in excess of triple that amount; March is the snowiest month in the region, both by total accumulation and number of days with measurable snowfall. In addition, 8 of

2806-400: The high-tech employment ratio will continue to decrease. High-tech corporations offering fibre-optics to the premises connections within the city include: Lumen Technologies , Comcast and other providers as of 2023. Hewlett-Packard still has some sales, support, and SAN storage engineering center for the computer industry. Storage Networking Industry Association is the home of

2867-509: The population, compared with 86.6% in 1970 ), 16.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race (compared with 7.4% in 1970), 6.3% Black or African American , 3.0% Asian , 1.0% descended from indigenous peoples of the Americas , 0.3% descended from indigenous Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders , 5.5% of some other race, and 5.1% of two or more races . Mexican Americans made up 14.6% of the city's population, compared with 9.1% in 1990. The median age in

2928-492: The present El Paso Street, Templeton Gap Road, and Fillmore Street—had a steel company, power plant, farms, and a large greenhouse. Its street names were after states, like Virginia and Pennsylvania. Plans for a new two-room schoolhouse were made in 1908. A social program was implemented about 1919 by Professor A. P. R. Drucker and his students from Colorado College for immigrants to teach English, civics, history, and math. Wrestling and boxing classes were also taught as part of

2989-555: The program. Nick Venetucci worked on the family farm in Papeton, where his Italian-born father was a coal-miner. Nick's brother died in an explosion on the farm. In 1942, 200 people lived in the town. On May 27, 1922, a cloudburst flood, the most severe since 1880, occurred along Templeton Gap , a semi-circular basin surrounded by hills, and through Papeton. Papeton's streets were covered by up to 5 feet (1.5 m) of water. Barns, fences, and streets were washed out. Subsequently, there were water development construction projects by

3050-711: The project by area schoolchildren. Venetucci is also the namesake of one of the Colorado Springs' elementary schools and is honored by the Bristol Brewing Company with its "Venetucci Pumpkin Ale." There is a Venetucci Boulevard located on the south side of Colorado Springs by the World Arena. In 2006, the Pikes Peak Community Foundation began hosting the annual "Great Venetucci Pumpkin Festival and 5K Run" on

3111-509: The pumpkins would have burned up." In 2003, Venetucci and his wife Bambi contacted the Pikes Peak Community Foundation and arranged for the philanthropic group to take over the farm, leasing it to the organization for 99 years. The foundation began to plant the farm again, growing corn and pumpkins, and relaunching the area's beloved pumpkin giveaway. Venetucci Farm was also granted a special conservation easement to ensure

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3172-481: The second-most prominent city of the Front Range Urban Corridor . It is located in east-central Colorado on Fountain Creek , 70 miles (113 km) south of Denver . At 6,035 feet (1,839 m) the city stands over 1 mile (1.6 km) above sea level. Colorado Springs is near the base of Pikes Peak , which rises 14,115 feet (4,302.31 m) above sea level on the eastern edge of the Southern Rocky Mountains . The city

3233-540: The site of the 200-acre (0.81 km) Venetucci farm. In 2018 the Pikes Peak Community foundation partnered with Pikes Peak region environmental education provider Catamount Institute to continue Nick's legacy. The Catamount Institute provided hands on outdoor education as part of the school children's visit to the farm. Since 2021, Gather Mountain Blooms took over the lease of the historic property and re-opened it as

3294-820: The sport of figure skating , having hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships six times and the World Figure Skating Championships five times. It is home to the World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame and the Broadmoor Skating Club , a notable training center for the sport. In recent years, the Broadmoor World Arena has hosted skating events such as Skate America and the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships . Colorado Springs

3355-443: The survival of the historic property and the pumpkin giveaway into the future. Nick Venetucci died of a stroke on September 7, 2004. He was 93 years old at the time of his death. Venetucci is memorialized with a statue in Colorado Springs on the site of the local Pioneer Museum. The work is installed in a large flower bed in which pumpkin plants are grown each year. The $ 100,000 statue was funded by millions of pennies collected for

3416-407: The task by 10 to 12 local volunteers each day. In 2002 there were no pumpkins on the Venetucci farm for the first time in 66 years, as drought conditions kept the 91-year-old Nick Venetucci from planting. "I can't control the weather," Venetucci lamented. "With the drought, there was no way I could grow pumpkins. The ground was so hard I couldn't get a plow in it. It was so hot, even if I had planted,

3477-469: The third-most craft breweries at 348. Breweries and microbreweries have become popular in Colorado Springs, which hosts over 30 of them. Although houses of worship of almost every major world religion are within the city, Colorado Springs has in particular attracted a large influx of Evangelical Christians and Christian organizations in recent years. At one time Colorado Springs was the national headquarters for 81 different religious organizations, earning

3538-464: The top 10 heaviest 24-hour snowfalls have occurred from March to May. Summers are warm, with July, the warmest month, averaging 70.9 °F (21.6 °C), and 18 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs annually. Due to the high elevation and aridity, nights are usually relatively cool and rarely does the low remain above 70 °F (21 °C). Dry weather generally prevails, but brief afternoon thunderstorms are common, especially in July and August when

3599-399: Was also a subject of Charles Kuralt's 1985 book, On the Road with Charles Kuralt. Venetucci's annual pumpkin giveaways started two weeks before Halloween . Teachers from area schools arranged pumpkin-gathering field trips to the Venetucci farm, with between 30,000 and 50,000 children participating in a typical year. Venetucci was on hand for the festivities until his final years, aided in

3660-539: Was established after World War II, on land donated by the City of Colorado Springs. The defense industry forms a significant part of the Colorado Springs economy, with some of the city's largest employers being defense contractors. Some defense corporations have left or downsized city campuses, but slight growth has been recorded. Significant defense corporations in the city include Northrop Grumman , Boeing , General Dynamics , L3Harris Technologies , SAIC , ITT , Lockheed Martin , and Bluestaq. The Space Foundation

3721-577: Was the original headquarters of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) from its founding in 1992 until 2005, when the organization was moved to Pueblo . The city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services manage 136 neighborhood parks, eight community parks, seven regional parks, and five sports complexes, totaling 9,000 acres (3,600 ha). They also manage 500 acres (200 ha) of trails, of which 160 miles (260 km) are park trails and 105 miles (169 km) are urban. There are 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of open space in 48 open-space areas. Garden of

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