Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is the county seat and the most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The city is nestled in the tranquil settings of Pikes Peak, at the Eastern Edge of the southern Rock Mountains.

According to US Census 2006 estimates, the population of the City of Colorado Springs was 372,437. As of climate, the region receives mild winters with large snow accumulation in some areas and hot humid summers.

Today, Colorado Springs is more of a modern urban area featuring business and commerce, parks, theaters, entertainment, bike trails, and many urban open-area spaces. The city was primarily developed as a posh resort community; however, the older mining supply center of Old Colorado Springs was also merged later.

It caused the tourist industry to grow strong and now city is hosting numerous activities and offering lots of attractions. In July 2006, Colorado Springs was ranked No.1 best big city in Best Places to Live by Money magazine.

Like other big cities, Colorado Springs is also not exempt from the problems and many of the problems are somehow related by the regional governments difficulty to deal with the population growth increased tremendously over the last two decades. Presently, the city is not only trying to cope with increase in population but also overcrowded roads and highways, crime, sprawl and government budget problems that have become big issues.

A large number of religious organizations such as churches especially Evangelical Christians and Focus on the Family have made Colorado Springs home for their headquarters. Besides, several high-tech businesses including computer chip manufacturers from Intel, to the chip foundry INMOS and to Hewlett-Packard have settled in the city for many decades.

The Mountain West Conference has also established its administrative headquarters in the region. Colorado Springs also houses a large number of major national defense agencies and military installations and is home to the United States Air Force Academy.

Economy
The city of Colorado Springs has recently been recognized as one of the nations top ten fastest growing economies. The major force behind the Colorado Springs economy is the military however this sector is not completely dependant on it. High-tech industry and tourism industry equally contribute to strengthen the citys economy. Moreover the region is experiencing notable growth in the service sectors also.

Colorado-Springs Tourism
With the most famous mountains as close as they are, tourism is the Colorado Springs third largest major industry. Colorado Springs has gained worldwide fame for its various geological features and rock formations. Much tourism in the city is paying attention to the surrounding area, most notably Pikes Peak. One may easily find the city a popular destination for its scenery. The city is brimmed with numerous parks and trails due to its proximity to the Rocky Mountains.

Tourist-Oriented Districts
The oldest part of the Old Colorado Springs is the Colorado Springs Downtown surrounded by many interesting buildings, enticing shops, delectable restaurants, theaters and performing arts institutions. On the National Register of Historic Places are the Lon Chaney Theater and numerous local and private buildings, housed in the Colorado Springs City Auditorium.

Pay a visit to the Pioneers Museum and enjoy an extensive collection of ancient city history. The Pikes Peak Center features thriving local musical and theatrical performances and mesmerizing traveling spots.

Old Colorado City is also referred to as National Historic District with many art shops and Michael Garman Galleries around. The North of Old Colorado is characterized for a diverse array of tourist attractions including Flying W Ranch a cowboy ranch, Buckskin Joe Frontier Town and Railway, Garden of the Gods and Glen Eyrie.

The Old North End, is featuring the American Numismatic Association, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado College and dozens of mansions in the area. Also stroll along Memorial Park and its surrounding areas housing the firefighters museum and the printers home.

Also of interest is the Broadmoor Neighborhood which was incorporated into the city in the 1980s. The Broadmoor neighborhood is home to a five star hotel - Broadmoor Hotel- offering conference center and resort, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and nearby Seven Falls. The North End is primarily consisting of newer suburbs and thus is home to the sprawling campus of the United States Air Force Academy.

The US Air Force Academy has gained fame far and wide for its state-of-the-art architecture, particularly its 17-steepled cadet chapel. Also visit family visitor center and childrens center and enjoy tour facilities available on premises.