Midland Terminal No. 60 at the Colorado City roundhouse. The RR was removed in 1949, but the roundhouse is still in fine shape, housing the Van Briggle Pottery Co.. Unfortunately, all MT steam was scrapped, and the roundhouse today is surrounded by parking lots and new highway. Originally, this was the main terminal of the ill-fated Colorado Midland. The MT, which originally ran only from Divide to Cripple Creek, took over the track to Colorado Springs about 1920.


http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?november02/11-13-02/mid-term60-2.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

> Midland Terminal No. 60 at the Colorado City
> roundhouse. The RR was removed in 1949, but
> the roundhouse is still in fine shape,
> housing the Van Briggle Pottery Co..
> Unfortunately, all MT steam was scrapped,
> and the roundhouse today is surrounded by
> parking lots and new highway. Originally,
> this was the main terminal of the ill-fated
> Colorado Midland. The MT, which originally
> ran only from Divide to Cripple Creek, took
> over the track to Colorado Springs about
> 1920.

Interesting! The former B&M enginehouse in Dover NH is now the Salmon Falls Pottery. My wife is from the area and we usually send home some of their wares when we go back to visit. I can often get in some Guilford gazing, and now the Amtrak Downeasters go by during the day. No trains? One can watch the potters at work--real New England craftsmanship here!


brunettedavis@aol.com

Small correction, Bob. The Van Briggle Pottery Company is in Colorado Springs, not Colorado City. (See 1920-1969 section of their history at the link below.) I took their tour many years ago, but haven't realized that it's housed in the former roundhouse. Will have to take another look next time I'm in the city.

Another interesting place in Colorado Springs is the Pike's Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation, housed in the 1888 former Rock Island engine house at 2333 Steel Drive. They've been working on returning electric streetcar service to the city, have several PCCs on hand, and are restoring some older cars as well.

Dick

Van Briggle history

I haven't lived in Colorado for over 30 years, but what is now the west side of Colorado Springs was indeed called Colorado City during the time of the railroad there. I believe Colorado Springs annexed Colorado City sometime in the 1950s. They tell me the area is an artsy community today. I've heard there is another Colorado City today, but don't know where it is, probably a new subdivision somewhere.

> Small correction, Bob. The Van Briggle
> Pottery Company is in Colorado Springs, not
> Colorado City. (See 1920-1969 section of
> their history at the link below.) I took
> their tour many years ago, but haven't
> realized that it's housed in the former
> roundhouse. Will have to take another look
> next time I'm in the city.

> Another interesting place in Colorado
> Springs is the Pike's Peak Historical Street
> Railway Foundation, housed in the 1888
> former Rock Island engine house at 2333
> Steel Drive. They've been working on
> returning electric streetcar service to the
> city, have several PCCs on hand, and are
> restoring some older cars as well.

> Dick


http://www.oldcoloradocity.com/
ryarger@rypn.org

So THAT’S it! I’ve long been vaguely aware of the area in Colorado Springs referred to as “Old Colorado City”, but thought it was just a trendy way of calling attention to that historic part of town. I’ve not known that the name was an actual predecessor to part of today’s Colorado Springs. Yes, there is another present-day Colorado City, just off I-25 about halfway between Pueblo and Walsenburg, and that’s the one with which I’ve been more familiar - mainly because it’s on one of the routes by which one can reach a strange and fascinating attraction known as “Bishop’s Castle”.

Thanks for the history lesson, Bob!

> ... one of the routes by which one can reach a strange and fascinating attraction known as “Bishop’s Castle”.

OK, I give up. What's "Bishop's Castle"?

Bishop's (or Bishop) Castle is a genuine stone castle being built by a rather eccentric fellow in the Colorado mountains. Words can't describe it, but you can get a good idea from the website below. Believe me, it's well worth seeing if you're in the ar ea, guaranteeing some chuckles but also garnering one's respect for Mr. Bishop's determinations and abilities. He's a nice fellow to visit with, too. And when Bishop decides to fire it up, there's even a fire-breathing dragon at the crest of the high ro of, crafted out of metal meal trays discarded from a nearby penitentiary. For many years the place was ignored by all the tourism-promotion outfits, but it's been gaining more and more recognition in recent years.

Hope you can see it sometime. Have f un!


Bishop Castle

> Bishop's (or Bishop) Castle is a genuine
> stone castle being built by a rather
> eccentric fellow in the Colorado mountains.
> Words can't describe it, but you can get a
> good idea from the website below. Believe
> me, it's well worth seeing if you're in the
> ar ea, guaranteeing some chuckles but also
> garnering one's respect for Mr. Bishop's
> determinations and abilities. He's a nice
> fellow to visit with, too. And when Bishop
> decides to fire it up, there's even a
> fire-breathing dragon at the crest of the
> high ro of, crafted out of metal meal trays
> discarded from a nearby penitentiary. For
> many years the place was ignored by all the
> tourism-promotion outfits, but it's been
> gaining more and more recognition in recent
> years.

> Hope you can see it sometime. Have f un!


Thanks! I wasn't aware of this - too bad I'm so far away. It makes the rest of us look positively rational by comparison.