Glen Eyrie
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Glen Eyrie | |
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| Location | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
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| Coordinates | 38°53′30″N 104°53′04″W / 38.89167°N 104.88444°WCoordinates: 38°53′30″N 104°53′04″W / 38.89167°N 104.88444°W |
| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Frederick Sterner |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Governing body | Private |
| NRHP Reference # | 75000519 [1] |
| Added to NRHP | April 21, 1975 |
Glen Eyrie is an English Tudor-style castle built by General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs. There are 17 guest rooms in the castle, as well as 4 meeting rooms and 2 dining rooms. This house was his dream home and is near Colorado Springs in the northwest foothills north of the Garden of the Gods rock formations (now a city park). After building a large carriage house, where the family lived for a time, Palmer and his wife Mary (Queen) Mellen built a 22-room frame house on the 800-acre (3.2 km2) estate. This house was remodeled in 1881 to include a tower and additional rooms, and made to resemble a stone castle, reminiscent of those native to England.
Queen Palmer, at age 21, opened the first public school in Colorado Springs in November 1871. The Palmers had three daughters, Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjory.
In 1880, Mrs. Palmer suffered a mild heart attack and was advised to move to a lower altitude. She and the girls moved to the East Coast and then to England where General Palmer visited them as often as he could. Queen died on December 28, 1894, at the age of 44. In sorrow, General Palmer went to England to return Mrs. Palmer's remains and the girls to Colorado Springs.
Glen Eyrie's use today
Glen Eyrie is an English Tudor-style castle built by General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs. There are 17 guest rooms in the castle, as well as 4 meeting rooms, 2 dining rooms and 24 fireplaces. The castle was advanced for its time, featuring a primitive intercom system, and a chimney system that would hold the smoke until the wind was blowing in the right direction to take the smoke out of the valley. Glen Eyrie is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The castle is now owned by The Navigators. The general public is allowed on its grounds Monday through Thursday (9-4) to visit its bookstore, located at the Carriage House. Tours of Glen Eyrie Castle are available to the public and require an advance reservation.
Events hosted at the castle include English and Victorian teas[2] throughout the week and Christmas Madrigal Banquets[3] beginning after Thanksgiving.
Glen Eyrie is also a conference and retreat center that hosts many conferences and programs. The property in the enclosed valley is also available for use by groups for meetings, receptions, and retreats. Herds of bighorn sheep, deer and wild turkey may often be found grazing on the grounds.
See also
References
- ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2006-03-15.
- ↑ Navigators: English and Victorian teas
- ↑ Navigators: Christmas Madrigal Banquets
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glen Eyrie. |
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