Colorado Springs, Colorado

1958NORAD Headquarters Built: The North American Aerospace Defense Command built its operations center inside Cheyenne Mountain, creating a nuclear-hardened bunker to track missiles and defend North American airspace during the Cold War.

1893America the Beautiful Written: English professor Katharine Lee Bates was so moved by the view from Pikes Peak that she wrote the poem that became 'America the Beautiful,' one of the nation's most beloved patriotic songs.

1954Air Force Academy Established: The U.S. Air Force Academy was established with its striking modernist campus and iconic Cadet Chapel, bringing a permanent military presence and national prestige to Colorado Springs.

1978Olympic Training Center Opens: The U.S. Olympic Committee chose Colorado Springs for its national training center and headquarters, making it the home base for America's Olympic athletes.

1871General Palmer Founds Colorado Springs: Civil War general William Jackson Palmer founded Colorado Springs as a planned resort community at the base of Pikes Peak, attracting health seekers and tourists to the mountain air.

1891Cripple Creek Gold Rush: The discovery of gold at nearby Cripple Creek brought a flood of wealth to Colorado Springs. Mining millionaires built mansions and cultural institutions that shaped the city.

2012Waldo Canyon Fire: A devastating wildfire burned into the city limits, destroying 347 homes and forcing 32,000 evacuations. It was the most destructive fire in Colorado history at the time.

1942Camp Carson Military Base: Camp Carson (now Fort Carson) was established as an Army training facility during WWII, beginning the massive military presence that now includes five installations.

2022Club Q Shooting: A gunman killed five people and injured 25 at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs. The attack drew national attention and condemnation.

1806Zebulon Pike Spots Pikes Peak: Explorer Zebulon Pike first sighted the mountain that would bear his name, calling it 'Grand Peak.' He never reached the summit, but the mountain became Colorado's most famous landmark.