Charles Elliott Perkins, the head of the Burlington Railroad, was urged to build a home near what is now the Garden of the Gods, in order to persuade him to open a rail line from Chicago to Colorado Springs. While this did not happen, Perkins did decide to build a summer home in 1879 on two-hundred and forty acres that he purchased in the area. He later bought more land, but it was too beautiful for him to build anything on it.

When he died in 1907, he made it known that he wanted the land to be preserved as a public park. His children obeyed his wishes and donated the land in 1909 to the City of Colorado Springs.

The park is open every day and is free to the public.

For more information about the Garden of the Gods, please click on the following link: http://www.gardenofgods.com/

These pictures were taken on Thursday, August 3rd, 2006.