From Carriages to Corvettes
Sightseers have been riding the spectacular road up Pikes Peak since 1889. Back then, early risers chugged up the pass on the Colorado Midland train to Cascade. There, horse drawn carriages awaited eager passengers. According to Francis Heizer, “The tourists would make a grand rush to obtain seats, occasionally people would sit in carriages all night to hold their seats.” Horses were replaced by hardy mules three miles below the summit.
After the Cog Railway opened in 1891, the road fell into disuse. Then in 1915 Spencer Penrose backed C.E. Noble’s plan to build a Pikes Peak Automobile Highway. Above the ninth mile, workmen had to rest half the time due to the high altitude. Construction costs skyrocketed to over $250,000.
The Pikes Peak Auto Highway Company operated the road until 1935 when it reverted back to the U.S. Forest Service. The road was open as a free state highway until 1948. From then until the present, the City of Colorado Springs has operated the road under a special use permit from the United States Forest Service.
Today over 300,000 people a year enjoy the scenic road up America’s famous mountain.
Picture captions: In 1920, these sightseers enjoy the view just above Glen Cove. Photo courtesy Pikes Peak Hill Climb Museum. See here near Devil’s Playground circa 1925, the Locomobile was used to maintain the highway. Photo courtesy Ute Pass historical Society. These tourists dressed for an open-air ride, pause for a photo in July of 1926 at Glen Cove. Photo courtesy Ute pass Historical Society.
Marker can be reached from Pike's Peak Toll Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
