Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/32575
Rogers, perished in an Alaskan plane crash. For Spec and his friends who had organized the End of the Trail As- sociation to buy the land and build the memorial, it made sense to honor one of America’s most beloved and original thinkers by naming it the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. The promontory upon which the Shrine is built is uniquely situated so that, as the sun sets behind the Conti- nental Divide, it is the last spot on the mountain slope to fall into shadow, creating a striking beacon for those lucky enough to be watching at that moment. Such was the case one late afternoon when Will Rogers was visiting The Broadmoor. According to an article in the Satur- IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHERUB, NOTE THAT HIS FEET ARE REVERSED, SPLAYED WITH BIG TOES POINTING OUT. ally acquired her from a circus friend in Indiana. Prior to the tourist season in 1926, the children of Colorado Springs were given complimentary rides on Tessie, who remained a popular guest attraction for the next 10 years. Eventually Spec converted his on-site menagerie into the Cheyenne Moun- tain Zoo, just a short ride up the Russell Tutt Scenic Highway behind the hotel, where his wildlife vision lives on today. But the zoo is only the beginning of a much larger story that awaits as you ascend the road, for another mile up the mountain stands a mysterious 100- foot stone monument, looking to all the world like an ancient holy site some 2,000 feet above the hotel and 8,136 feet above sea level. While Spec was erecting this impos- ing monolith—what would be his tomb and final resting place—his friend, the great humorist and political wit Will day Evening Post, July 1937, Penrose “Called Rogers to a window during a thunderstorm, promising to show him an unforgettable spectacle. Clouds rolling down the slope of Cheyenne Mountain parted on either side of a promontory, which projected above them like a rocky island in a billowing sea. Abruptly the sun shone through above Pikes Peak. The pink granite crag jutting up through the clouds was spotlighted in blazing light. Rogers was speechless.” The Shrine hosts a number of sublime objects d’art, including a 16th century marble altar and 15th century prayer benches from Europe in the chapel where the remains of Spec and Julie are interred, as well as 1930s-style western murals that capture the history of the region, a photographic instal- lation of the life of Will Rogers, early 20th century Asian statuary, and a set of Westminster chimes, which toll on the hour and each quarter hour. Treasure Trove The Shrine is indeed the end of the trail these days, but before 1976 the drive continued all the way to the top, where Spec built the exotic Cheyenne Mountain Lodge in 1926, a popular honeymoon spot decorated like a hunting lodge at 9,565 feet above sea 31 broadmoor.com