Walking tours offer history of downtown buildings

QUESTION: We love all the old buildings downtown and near downtown and would like to know some history. Is there a compact history book of some sort that could tell us more, something we could carry with us when we’re walking and riding around?
- Leslie Brown

ANSWER: Your timing is excellent. City planners have just completed three self-guided walking tours of the downtown area. There are photos of the buildings, all within a mile of the heart of downtown, and concise histories. Some buildings are designated as “locally significant” or eligible for a historic register.
You can download the tours from www.springsgov.com. Type “historic preservation” in the search field and scroll to No. 7, then “Walking Tour Brochures.” If you’re hiking around downtown and would rather buy the booklets, they’re $2 each. Go to the Office Services Division of the City Administration Building, 30 S. Nevada Ave.
Another excellent resource is “An Architectural Walking Tour of Colorado Springs” available at the front counter at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.
DOWNTOWN HISTORY: Betty Maginie wrote that people interested in the history of various buildings in Colorado Springs might check a 35-page booklet titled "Pilgrimage into the Past" which is available at the library.
BLACK FOREST TOUR: "After reading the question regarding the walking tours of downtown, I thought your readers would be interested in knowing about Black Forest history. The committee at the Old Log School in Black Forest has developed a self-guided driving tour of Black Forest points of interest. Readers can purchase the drive tour for $1 or a donation at the Log School open house Thursday afternoons from noon to 3 p.m. throughout the summer. The school is located at the corner of Shoup and Black Forest roads." - Melinda Harrington