Named after Colorado Springs founder William Jackson Palmer , the Palmer Divide is a caprock escarpment -style ridge in central Colorado that separates the Arkansas River basin from the South Platte basin. It extends from the Front Range of the Rockies in central Colorado eastward approximately 80 miles toward the town of Limon . The western end of the Palmer Divide is popularly considered to be at Palmer Lake , located south of Denver and north of Colorado Springs . However, the divide between the two river basins actually extends west and then north to a junction with the Continental Divide at McNamee Peak.
37-508: For much of its length, it travels very roughly along the northern border of El Paso County . Thus, it forms a natural separator between the Denver and Colorado Springs metropolitan areas. The elevation along the divide varies between about 6,000 and 7,887 feet (1,829 and 2,404 m), with the high point being Bald Mountain in southern Douglas County . This peak can be seen from I-25 just northeast of Monument Hill . This uplifted area causes
74-401: A four-lane highway, which partially obscured Rainbow Falls. Tourism began to be a major economic force in the late 19th century and towns along Ute Pass built cabins and hotels as a result. The pass at one time was used by stage coach and equestrian traffic. It is steep (7%) on the east side. The climate is arid , so many plants that grow here are adapted to low water usage. Wildlife in
111-468: A great difference in the weather between Denver and Colorado Springs. Although the elevation technically qualifies it for the foothills category, it does not parallel a mountain chain as foothills generally do; instead, the Palmer Divide is perpendicular to the main chain of mountains. Due to the orientation of the Palmer Divide with respect to the eastern plains, the weather can be similar to that of
148-406: A large section of its national missile defense operations here, with Peterson Space Force Base set to operate large sections of the program. The base is also home to Space Force's Space Operations Command , and to NORAD headquarters. Peterson SFB is currently the headquarters of the operations-half of Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command. Peterson is also headquarters for
185-744: A presence in Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station . When it was built at the height of the Cold War , NORAD caused some anxiety for the residents in and around Colorado Springs, who believed the installation would be a primary target during a nuclear attack . Although NORAD still operates today, it is primarily given the task of the tracking of ICBMs , and the military has recently decided to place Cheyenne Mountain's NORAD/NORTHCOM operations on warm standby and move operations to nearby Peterson Air Force Base. Ute Pass (Rampart Range) The Ute Pass / ˈ j uː t /
222-571: A slight increase in precipitation from the rest of eastern Colorado, resulting in the presence of the Black Forest , a peninsula of trees surrounded by dryer grassland plains.. The Palmer Divide is also implicated in enhanced landspout and tornado activity to the east of Denver in the Denver convergence vorticity zone (DCVZ). This terrain feature is the cause of several small scale ( microscale or mesoscale ) weather patterns and it can make
259-619: A workforce of more than 7,700 personnel. It is the location of the Global Positioning System (GPS) master control station and GPS Operations Center and the US Naval Observatory Alternate Master Clock, used to synchronize GPS satellite time. Schriever is also developing parts of national missile defense and runs parts of the annual wargames used by the nation's military. The base indirectly contributes an estimated $ 1 billion to
296-426: Is a mountain pass west of Colorado Springs that ranges from a peak elevation at Divide of 9,165 to 6,165 feet (2,793 to 1,879 m) at its lowest point. About 75,000 years ago glaciers moved down the sides of what became Pikes Peak . Over time, the ground also thrusted upward. The combination of the change in terrain from the moving tectonic plates and the sculpting of rock due to the moving boulders created
333-713: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . El Paso County, Colorado El Paso County is the most populous county located in the American state of Colorado . As of the 2020 Census , the population was 730,395, surpassing the City and County of Denver . The county seat is Colorado Springs , the second most populous city in Colorado. El Paso County is included in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, Metropolitan Statistical Area . In July 1858, gold
370-604: Is home to Army , Air Force and Space Force bases. These military installations border Colorado Springs to the north, south, and east, aside from Schriever Space Force Base , which is located about 10 miles east of Peterson Space Force Base . Fort Carson, "The Mountain Post", is located just south of Colorado Springs at the base of the Rocky Mountains. It was established in 1942, following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. The city of Colorado Springs purchased land south of
407-485: Is home to several colleges and universities. The United States Air Force Academy is located immediately north of Colorado Springs, serving as both a university and a functional U.S. Air Force base. Also in the county are the University of Colorado–Colorado Springs , Colorado College , Pikes Peak State College , Colorado Technical University , and IntelliTec College , all located in Colorado Springs. El Paso County
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#1732771794284444-496: Is located in Colorado's 5th congressional district , except for the far eastern extremities, which are located in the 4th . The county is governed by a board of county commissioners. Its current members are Holly Williams in district 1, Carrie Geitner in district 2, Stan VanderWerf in district 3, Longinos Gonzales Jr in district 4, and Cami Bremer in district 5. In 2004, the voters of Colorado Springs and El Paso County established
481-554: Is the home of 4th Infantry Division and several other units, including 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the Colorado National Guard Regional Training Institute and PCMS, which is a maneuver training site for Fort Carson located near Trinidad, Colorado. The installation totals about 137,000 acres and PCMS is roughly 236,000 acres. Fort Carson has around 3,000 family housing units and 66 soldier barracks with 8,132 rooms. Services on
518-473: The Republican presidential candidate in presidential elections; the last Democratic nominee to win the county was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Even then, Barry Goldwater got nearly 46% of the county's vote. After Johnson carried it in 1964, a Democrat would not win 40 percent of the county's vote again until Joe Biden in 2020. It has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1920, except for
555-568: The US military are stationed at the command. Peterson SFB is the current, possibly temporary home for US Space Command , another Unified Combatant Command, whose area of operations is global operations occurring 50 miles or greater above the Earth. Schriever Space Force Base is home to several Space Force mission Deltas, responsible for the operation and support of 175 Department of Defense satellites and installation support to 16 major tenant units, with
592-641: The United States Northern Command , one of the Unified Combatant Commands , which directs all branches of the U.S. military operations in their area of responsibility, which includes the continental United States, Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. In the event of national emergencies, the President or Secretary of Defense can call upon the command for any required military assistance. Service members from every branch of
629-546: The foothills during active weather with enhanced precipitation, especially during snowstorms. Cities and towns near the Palmer Divide include Parker , Castle Rock , Franktown , Elizabeth , Kiowa , Elbert , Sedalia , Larkspur , Palmer Lake , Monument , and unincorporated communities north of Colorado Springs, such as Gleneagle , Black Forest , and Woodmoor . 39°07′N 104°52′W / 39.12°N 104.86°W / 39.12; -104.86 ( Palmer Divide ) This Colorado state location article
666-487: The Democratic landslides of 1936 and 1964. Dick Lamm in 1982 remains the last Democrat to win the county in a gubernatorial election. Eight years later , the county was one of only four in the state to back governor Roy Romer 's opponent John Andrews . Jared Polis in 2022 came within 4% of winning the county. The last Democrat to win the county in a Senate election was Gary Hart in 1974 . El Paso County
703-589: The Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority ( PPRTA ) and adopted a 1% sales tax dedicated to improving the region's transportation infrastructure. Together with state funding for COSMIX (2007 completion) and the I-25 interchange with Highway 16 (2008 completion), significant progress has been made since 2003 in addressing the transportation needs of the area. In 2012, the county voted to legalize marijuana. On March 12, 2019,
740-614: The Pikes Peak region that Ute Trail was used by bison and Native Americans. For the Utes , the trail and pass was used to transport salt from Bayou Salade, the salt valley of South Park, to Santa Fe and Taos for trade. The Ute's name for the pass was El Puerto del Sierra Almagre, which means "Doorway to the Red Earth Mountains". Ute Trail became a wagon road in the 1860s providing transport to Leadville mining camp. In 1872
777-474: The Ute Pass area includes wild turkey , mule deer , mountain lion , bighorn sheep , and especially during the summer and fall, black bear . Ute Pass History Park is located at 231 E. Henrietta Avenue on the north side of Woodland Park. The Pikes Peak Museum comprises six buildings that tell the history of the pass, people who traversed it, and the communities founded along the pass. The buildings include
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#1732771794284814-636: The city and donated it to the War Department. Construction began immediately and the first building, the camp headquarters, was completed January 31, 1942. Camp Carson was named in honor of the legendary Army scout Gen. Christopher "Kit" Carson, who explored much of the West in the 1800s. Camp Carson became Fort Carson in 1954. An additional training area was purchased in September 1983 and is called Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS). Currently, Fort Carson
851-474: The county commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to become a Second Amendment sanctuary . The Colorado Department of Corrections has its headquarters in an unincorporated area in the county. According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the county are: The Pikes Peak Library District provides library services through its 15 branches and bookmobiles to
888-447: The county has a total area of 2,130 square miles (5,500 km ), of which 2,127 square miles (5,510 km ) are land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km ) (0.1%) are covered by water. As of the 2020 census , there were 730,395 people, 272,683 households, and 185,830 families residing in the county. The population density was 343.5 people per square mile (132.6 people/km ). There were 287,459 housing units. The racial makeup of
925-491: The county was 82.6% White, 6.9% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 3.4% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, and 5.4% from two or more races. About 18.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. In El Paso county, the population pyramid was distributed as there being a slight surplus of males ages 0 to 45 and there after a slight surplus of females which is typical of most US populations. The greater than normal surplus of males between 18 and 35 are mainly due to
962-419: The eastern plains" to the "lush, grassy" meadows of South Park, Colorado during the summer months. Joel Palmer wrote in his 1847 Journal of Travels over the Rocky Mountains : "These (buffalo) paths are remarkable in their appearance, being about 15 inches wide, and four inches deep, and worn into the soil as smoothly as they could be cut with a spade." Stephen Harriman Long wrote of his 1820s travel through
999-401: The installation include four elementary schools, one middle school, a commissary, an exchange, and Evans Army Community Hospital, as well as Army Community Service facilities to include child development centers and youth centers and family morale, welfare, and recreation facilities to include a bowling alley, golf course, and numerous parks. Fort Carson's economic impact on Colorado Springs and
1036-770: The local Colorado Springs, CO area annually. Bordering the northwestern side of the city are the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy, where cadets train to become officers in the Air Force and Space Force. The campus is famous for its unique chapel, and draws visitors year round. Most of the Air Force Academy's sports programs participate in the Mountain West Conference. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), headquartered on Peterson SFB, has
1073-513: The new territory including El Paso County . El Paso County was named for the Spanish language name for Ute Pass north of Pikes Peak . Colorado City served as the county seat of El Paso County. The Jefferson Territory never received federal sanction, but on February 28, 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed an act organizing the Territory of Colorado . El Paso County was one of
1110-417: The old wagon road through Ute Pass started at Rainbow Falls, or Ute Pass Falls. The Colorado Midland Railway had tracks through the Ute Pass to Leadville and Aspen beginning in 1888. Service was later extended to Cripple Creek. Once the mining industry declined, the railroad tracks were removed. In 1932 a new road was built that better accommodated automotive vehicles. Ute Pass is now along U.S. Highway 24,
1147-561: The original 17 counties created by the Colorado legislature on November 1, 1861. Part of its western territory was broken off to create Teller County in 1899. Originally based in Old Colorado City (now part of Colorado Springs, not today's Colorado City between Pueblo and Walsenburg ), El Paso County's county seat was moved to Colorado Springs in 1873. According to the United States Census Bureau ,
Palmer Divide - Misplaced Pages Continue
1184-585: The pass traverses through Divide , Woodland Park , Green Mountain Falls , Chipita Park and Cascade . Its waters collect through the mountains of Ute Pass, through Fountain Creek canyon west of Manitou Springs and collect in Fountain Creek . Ute Trail, which runs along the north side of Pikes Peak is believed to have first been a buffalo trail that delivered buffalo from the "milder winter pastures of
1221-528: The presence of five military installations located within the county. El Paso County is home to 17 public school districts, in addition to several private schools. In the 2023–2024 school year, Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 in Colorado Springs was ranked the #1 public school district in Colorado. Academy School District 20 (Colorado Springs) and Lewis-Palmer School District 38 (Monument) were ranked #8 and #10, respectively. El Paso County
1258-565: The residents of El Paso County, with the exception of Widefield School District 3. The mission of the District is "Providing resources and opportunities that impact individual lives and build community. Seek. Engage. Transform." El Paso is quite conservative for a large urban county, although it has become less so since the 2010s. Its conservative bent predates the influence of its large military and Evangelical Christian populations. Since its creation in 1871, El Paso County has typically voted for
1295-427: The steep canyons of the Ute Pass entrance. From the entrance of Ute Pass at Manitou Springs and for about 5 miles, the terrain is steep canyon land and the road has many curves. The terrain becomes less steep, eventually becoming "gentle u-shaped valleys" near the summit at Divide . Ute Pass is located west of Colorado Springs, to the north of Pikes Peak and is located along U.S. Highway 24 . From west to east,
1332-404: The surrounding communities was approximately $ 2.3 billion during fiscal year 2014. Fort Carson has about 24,300 soldiers on the installation, with 44,700 family members. The installation also has around 8,000 veterans and 3,300 civilians. The Space Force has critical aspects of their service based at Colorado Springs, which carry on missile defense operations and development. The Space Force bases
1369-698: Was discovered along the South Platte River in Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory . This discovery precipitated the Pike's Peak Gold Rush . Many residents of the mining region felt disconnected from the remote territorial governments of Kansas and Nebraska , so they voted to form their own Territory of Jefferson on October 24, 1859. The following month, the Jefferson Territorial Legislature organized 12 counties for
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