Fountain Valley News - Your Hometown Community Newspaper

Well, no, not that race track. Starting in the early 1950s, Colorado Springs had a drag strip. Some of the early racers wanted a safer place to test their cars off city streets. Now... — Updated 8/26/2020

I like talking about the railroads. I often point out that in 1908, more people got on and off trains in Colorado Springs than at the airport in 2008. Today I’d like to show what... — Updated 8/19/2020

You might not expect great changes after World War II, but some things did improve that you might not have expected. During the war there were a number of hardships the public... — Updated 8/5/2020

First, let me say I am so happy the library is open again! I went and was quite surprised to see it was quite empty. I thought it might be as full as they will let it be! Anyway, I... — Updated 7/29/2020

This tale came to mind recently. A person who never heard it may get a bit of amusement out of it. It gets quite involved, and as far as I know, has never been solved. The men, whos... — Updated 7/15/2020

You may not remember Wanden La Farge, who was Fountain's mayor during World War II. I remember her quite well. I recently found a 1939 story about her writing skills. I even have... — Updated 7/8/2020

A couple years ago I talked a bit about the Skelton Ranch as an early dude ranch. The Skelton Ranch was a mystery to me except for an old post card from "Balanced Rock" on Skelton R... — Updated 7/1/2020

This story dates from the late 1930s, when an interesting bit of history was made public. The ranch, near present-day Security, had been settled in the early days of the Civil War.... — Updated 6/24/2020

Things progress. Little by little we can do the things we like to do, but not in a group! Interesting, but I thought I would reflect a bit today. Yes, I am still here. I have had a... — Updated 6/17/2020

Recently I was on the top of Pikes Peak as they laid the new cog railway’s first rails. The site is just by the last remaining part of the original Summit House. The first... — Updated 6/10/2020

So what makes someplace famous? I have recently talked about our local attractions and tourists. I spent nearly four years in the Air Force, mainly near a famous little town in... — Updated 5/20/2020

With the events of the past couple months, I was thinking about how it was a hundred years ago. Yes, in the days long before radio and television, entertainment was quite different... — Updated 5/6/2020

Well, I must admit times are curious! I usually talk about the past, but here we are in times that are certainly different. I wonder what they will say about us in a hundred years!... — Updated 4/15/2020

Conveniences I often wonder how some of us would have survived in the mining camps and even farms of over a hundred years ago. As I read old newspaper stories of the time, some... — Updated 3/18/2020

I often wonder how some of us would have survived in the mining camps and even farms of over a hundred years ago. As I read old newspaper stories of the time, some sound like... — Updated 3/11/2020

With the interesting winter we have had this year, I thought you’d like this story from a Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper in early May of 1904. I thought, for those of us think... — Updated 3/4/2020

Fire in the Yards A hundred years ago the area from 26th to 21st along what is now US 24 was the Colorado Midland railroad yards. Occasionally there were accidents and fires in the... — Updated 2/12/2020

When General Palmer was starting to build the Denver and Rio Grande, he built south from Denver toward Mexico. He hired a number of surveyors to look at various routes. He had... — Updated 2/5/2020

In about 1910 there were enough automobiles around that the idea of a driver's license started here in Colorado. It would take another eight or nine years before they thought they... — Updated 1/29/2020

Here is a Colorado Springs problem, we do not have! Statues in the streets downtown. Which was fi rst? One that actually is not there anymore, except as a modem replacement. In 192... — Updated 1/22/2020

With the winter really upon us, it certainly has been a surprise, all over the US! I want to go back to this time of year in 1891. That winter there was a real surprise in store. Th... — Updated 1/15/2020

Now that the year end holidays are finished, how about thinking about the past a bit? In the recent months we have had winter weather to consider. In normal years it is hard to... — Updated 1/8/2020

With the Winter we are having I thought this April, 1927 story of opening the railroad up Pikes Peak would be interesting. I started working on the railway just before they started... — Updated 12/31/2019

In the past I have talked about the area's tourist interests. In the 1930's when this area exploded with tourists, and Cottage Camps, another industry started. Driving the visitors... — Updated 12/24/2019

Old US 85/87 north out of Pueblo was called “The Ribbon of Death” prior to construction of 1-25. The two lane concrete road, built around 1930 was state of the art when it was b... — Updated 12/18/2019