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The Broadmoor Historical Timeline, From 1871 to Present.
Use your mouse to scroll through the timeline and see our illustrious past. Slide vertically on your iPad's touch screen to scroll through the timeline and see our illustrious past.
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William Wilcox moves to Colorado Springs from Philadelphia in hopes of finding a cure for his tuberculosis and establishes a small dairy farm.
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Prussian Count James Pourtales moves to Colorado Springs seeking romance and fortune and purchases the dairy from William Wilcox.
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Count Pourtales decides to turn The Broadmoor into an upper-class suburb of Colorado Springs and forms the Cheyenne Lake, Land and Improvement Company.
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Cheyenne Lake, Land and Improvement Company becomes The Broadmoor Land and Investment Company.
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The Broadmoor Land and Investment Company is sold to the London and New York Investment Company.
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The Broadmoor Casino and Hotel are purchased by the Winfield Scott Stratton Estate. Later the property is turned into a boarding house and day school for girls.
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Spencer Penrose constructs the Pikes Peak Highway for $283,000 as an alternative to the Cog Railway.
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Spencer Penrose, an entrepreneur from Philadelphia, and his wife Julie, purchase the 40-acre site of The Broadmoor Casino and Hotel and adjoining 450 acres for $90,000. They set out to create the most beautiful resort in the world modeled after the opulence and elegance that the Penroses had experienced in Europe and the Orient but was almost non-existent in the U.S. That summer, master golf course architect Donald Ross is hired to construct the resort's first golf course.
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The Broadmoor welcomes guests at its formal opening. Donald Ross's 18-hole golf course also opens to guests of The Broadmoor.
Did You Know? John D. Rockefeller was the hotel's first celebrity guest on June 1, 1918. Unfortunately, he and his wife were forced to move down to the Antler's Hotel for the night after the paint fumes became too much.
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The Fountain Room opens for the cost of $20,000. The new dining room space was added to the Main Dining Room (Lake Terrace) and designed by Thomas McLaren with the intent to harmonize the existing interior and provide a splendid view of the lake and mountains.
Did You Know? Spencer Penrose was not above altering nature to serve the hotel's public relations department. In the famed Maxfield Parrish painting, he encouraged the artist to put the lake in front of the hotel.
Did You Know? In the hotel's first decade a room with a private bath and twin beds could be had during high season for $14 per day. This included three meals daily with live music at lunch and dinner.
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The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun is opened, and the El Pomar Foundation is formed to promote the future well-being of the people of Colorado through grants and community stewardship.
Did You Know? One of Spencer Penrose's favorite projects was building Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to house his growing collection of animals. The construction of the zoo began in 1926. Until that time the animals had been kept on the hotel grounds for the guests' amusement, but the smell and noise were offensive to many and close encounters not always pleasant. One animal was a camel named Ethel Volstead. The name was intended as a joke as Spencer Penrose was strongly anti-Prohibition, which the 1919 Volstead Act enacted.
Did You Know? Built by Count James Pourtales in 1889, The Broadmoor Lake was originally intended for irrigation purposes. When the hotel opened in 1918 it boasted clear mountain stream water and had been stocked with trout for fishing. During the 1940s guests could catch these fish and the hotel kitchen would cook them for the guests' personal dinners.
Did You Know? During the 1940s the hotel offered square dancing several days a week. The group that provided the music was the Bar-Nothin Squares with Cactus Taits Orchestra. Original recordings of their performances were used to produce a collection of records sold as an album of real western square dances. The album was produced by Pikes Peak Records in 1949.
Did You Know? In 1952 the hotel purchased two sea lions as fish wardens, their sole duty being to deplete the lake of its excess population of gold fish. Calls began to besiege the hotel switchboards with irate guests and nearby residents complaining about the noise and wandering sea lions. It was finally discovered that sea lions require nourishment from saltwater fish not goldfish. As a result, barrels of saltwater fish were flown in each day to keep the sea lions happy and quiet.
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The Broadmoor constructs the International Center and opens Broadmoor South along with the Penrose Room, a fine-dining restaurant.
Did You Know? In the 1960s the hotel offered waterskiing on the lake to its guests. The McGrath brothers, Bill and Pete, operated the boat dock and provided waterskiing instructions. Many famous guests took advantage of these lessons including Harry Belafonte, Smothers Brothers, and Carol Channing.
Did You Know? At 35 feet x 80 feet, the original Broadmoor pool was the largest indoor pool in the West when it opened in 1918. The blue and white ceramic-tile swimming pool used mountain spring water that was purified by the most modern filters of the day and a powerful violet-ray machine to destroy bacteria of any kind. Private dressing rooms were provided for both men and women, and a professional swimming teacher was always on duty. The indoor pool closed in June 1961.
Did You Know? Whatever happened to Tessie the elephant? Tessie was brought to Colorado Springs in 1926 and provided rides to hotel guests. When Tessie passed away in 1936 she was to be mounted and put on display at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, but no one knows what ever happened to her.
Did You Know? The Hawaiian Village was a roof top garden and nightclub at the hotel featuring thatched walls and hanging lanterns. The first act at the Hawaiian Village when it opened in 1939 was Harry Owens and the Royal Hawaiians. It soon became a popular party destination for hotel guests and residents alike. Many well-known entertainers of the day also appeared at the club, including Carmen Miranda, Mickey Rooney, Edgar Bergen and Rudy Vallee to name a few.
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Oklahoma Publishing Company purchases controlling interest of The Broadmoor from El Pomar Foundation.
Did You Know? In 1918 the hotel opened with a rooftop garden on the main building. It allowed entrance to the belfry which was the equivalent of 11 stories high. At the top of the tower was a lighted weather vane and a uniquely-designed lantern made of wrought iron, the lantern being a traditional symbol of an innkeeper's hospitality. From the tower, visitors could view the entire hotel property as well as the city of Colorado Springs to the East and North.
Did You Know? Spencer Penrose's original idea was to name the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun after himself, but was later convinced to name it after his dear friend who had been killed in a plane crash shortly before construction began. Will Rogers is not and never was buried there himself.
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The Broadmoor adds new Golf, Spa, and Tennis Facility, as well as the 12,000 Sq. Ft. Rocky Mountain Ballroom.
Did You Know? The Tavern Restaurant was opened to fully commemorate the demise of Prohibition, which lasted from 1919 to 1933.
Did You Know? It was at the summit of nearby Pikes Peak that inspired Katherine Lee Bathes to write 'America the Beautiful'.
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The walking bridge spanning the lake and connecting the east and west sides of The Broadmoor complex is added.
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The zero-entry infinity swimming pool, mountain-like water slides, two 14-person hot tubs, private cabanas and a seasonal pool are added to the north end of Cheyenne Lake. The 21-room Lakeside Suites building is completed, and Broadmoor Main is closed for the first time in history to undergo major renovations.
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Broadmoor Main re-opens with its original artwork restored, along with two additional guest elevators, new five fixture baths in each guest room, and a host of state-of-the-art services and amenities. Cheyenne Lodge, formally the Mountain Course Club building, opens with spectacular vistas for private functions.
Did You Know? During the hotel's $75 million renovation in 2002, the authentic wine bottle collection of Spencer Penrose (on display in the hotel lobby) was stored away so as to preserve the original dust.
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The Oklahoma Publishing Company purchases the remaining interest to become a sole proprietorship. The Spa at The Broadmoor is expanded to 43,000 sq. ft. and completely redesigned by master architect TAG Galyean.
Did You Know? In 2002, a legendary and elusive 1961 World Championship Figure skating pin, all of which were thought to have been destroyed following the deaths of the entire 18-member U.S. team in a plane crash while en route to Prague, was discovered in the oversized walk-in vault of The Broadmoor Hotel.
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The East Golf Course is returned to the original 1918 bunker design of legendary course designer Donald Ross. The Golf Club Dining Room is also reopened, providing guests with a wonderful new outdoor dining experience. Other notable additions include Broadmoor Hall, which features a 60,000 sq. ft. pillar-less fully-carpeted ballroom capable of accommodating up to 6,550 guests theater-style, as well as underground parking.
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Summit, the Adam D.Tihany-designed restaurant headed by Executive Chef Bertrand Bouquin, opens to rave reviews. Nicklaus Design unveils the newly redesigned and reconfigured Mountain Course. Eight additional retail shops also open at The Broadmoor, bringing the total of specialty stores and boutiques to 25.
Did You Know? The raised 'A' in The Broadmoor name came about in order to render the name unique. The name 'Broadmoor' had been in use since the late 1800s and therefore could not be copyrighted.
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The construction for The Broadmoor Cottages and the restoration of the West Golf Course begins.
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The Broadmoor Cottages open along the 18th fairway of the East Course with spectacular views of Cheyenne Mountain. The Cottages consisting of five, eight-bedroom buildings and one, four-bedroom building, offer up to 6,300 sq. ft. per complex and bring the total accommodation space at The Broadmoor to 744 units.
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West Tower rooms, suites, and meeting space all undergo renovation. West Lobby Bar is also remodeled to include a scenic outdoor patio and new bar dining menu. The Broadmoor receives the Forbes Five Star rating for its 50th consecutive year and AAA Five Diamond rating for its 34th consecutive year. The Penrose Room and The Spa at The Broadmoor each receive their first Five Star rating.
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The Anschutz Corporation of Denver purchases all businesses owned by the Oklahoma Publishing, including The Broadmoor. Mr. Philip Anschutz becomes the third owner in the resort's 93 year history. Southeastmoor and Northeastmoor undergo major renovations to the exterior, guest rooms, and public areas. The Broadmoor's specialty retail shops expand with the opening of The Broadmoor's Children's Shop and the Christmas House Shop.
