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Colorado Springs
Colorado Alamo Square Park
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The End of an Era |
George Lundeen
2001 |
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THE END OF AN ERA - CIRCA 1960 this sculpture is a gift to the citizens of colorado springs from lieutenant colonel chandler w. and melitta e. bergen, the monument recognizes a century of skiing in colorado and honors those who pioneered the sport. dedicated a.d. 2001 GEORGE W. LUNDEEN, SCULPTOR |
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A Brief Outline of Colorado Skiing The first documented use of skis in Colorado occurred in a snow- bound mining camp during the winter of 1859 - 1860 near present- day Breckenridge. Ten men left in camp made skis and traveled down- valley where they built a cabin and claimed a town site called Eldorado West. By 1911, Norwegian-born Carl Howelson introduced ski jumping in Colorado. Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs bears his name. Skiing grew gradually, spurred in part by the 1932 Winter Olympics held at Lake Placid, New York. By World War II, civilians convinced the War Department that mountain troops were essential to pursuing the global conflict. This effort resulted in the establishment of the elite 10th Mountain Division. The mountain troopers trained at Camp Hale, near Leadville, Colorado. The division became famous when it defeated German forces in decisive battles in the Apennine Mountains of northern Italy. Once back in civilian life, many of the former ski troopers bacame instrumental in the expansion of the sport. Today, Colorado's ski resorts are leaders in the international ski industry. |
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