Fountain Valley became a settlement in 1859 (founded by pioneers Tom Owens and Amos and Mary T Terrell.) They were soon joined by a third family, Mathias and Barbara Lock. Also founded in 1859 were Colorado City, Denver, Golden and Central City. The locals established a charter in 1871 and incorporated in 1903. Fountain is the oldest incorporated town in the Pikes Peak Region.

The Fountain Valley gets its name from the creek that flows through it, which originates high in Ute Pass. Named originally by French trappers in the area “Le fountain que Bouille” was a bubbling creek which fed a part of the soda-like springs in Manitou Springs and which attracted Plains Indians from hundreds of miles around.  Later generations boiled the name of the creek down to the English term Fountain.

When Lt. Zebulon Pike crossed the Plains on his expedition, he stayed on the east bank of the creek until near where the city of Fountain now lies, then crossing over and heading toward the “Great Peak” that now bears his name.

  Development of the Great Plains was influenced by water. Where it existed pioneers settled to raise crops and livestock. For many years, agriculture was our biggest asset, while cattle and hog products were a close second. Grain, corn, sugar beets, asparagus, alfalfa, blue stem hay and beans were grown on just over 7,000 acres in the Fountain Valley. The Valley was also well suited for dairy business.

Perhaps one of the most famous farms in the area is the Venetucci Ranch, now under the care of the Pikes Peak Foundation. It was home to the Venetucci family, who became local legends (especially Nick and his wife, Bambi) for their annual pumpkin giveaways to children from across the state each fall.

Many believe Fountain might have become the state capitol had it not been for a terrible accident in the early hours of May 14, 1888. Fountain had the biggest boom of its history when 17,000 pounds of giant powder exploded and literally blew the town off the map of Colorado. Some railroad cars had broken loose from a freight train at Colorado Springs and ran wild south to Fountain where they collided with a passenger train at the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad station.

At that time Fountain was one of a handful of cities being considered to be the state capitol, but events related to this disaster prevented that from being pursued.

 In 1999, the City of Fountain was designated to be the Millenium City for year 2,000 by the New York Times. It was determined that the Fountain Valley as a whole best represented a smaller version of America because of our diversity.

 In 2002, Fountain earned the prestigious honor of being named an All-America City by the National Civic League, much for the way people here collaborate and work together for the betterment of the community, including its youth who had achieved some of the highest minority graduation rates around.

 These honors, and the continued growth and successes enjoyed by the Fountain Valley area would not be possible without the heavy influence of neighboring Fort Carson and the military community.