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Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun
The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, an operating legacy of El Pomar Foundation, is located on the side of Cheyenne Mountain at 8,000 feet above sea level. Just above the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, it provides an impressive panoramic view of the Pikes Peak region.
By its name it is a lasting memorial to actor, philosopher, and humorist, Will Rogers, a friend of Spencer Penrose who died tragically in a plane crash in 1935. Photographs of his life are displayed in the stairways and enclaves. Through a separate entrance in the lower level of the Shrine are the tombs of Julie and Spencer Penrose, founders of El Pomar Foundation. Spencer's long-time friends, Harry Leonard and Horace Devereux, are also entombed there.
The Shrine, which stands 114 feet high, was fashioned from a single sheet of granite and completed in 1937. It was constructed entirely without nails and wood, but was bound together by 200,000 pounds of steel and 30 wagonloads of cement. It is a square-sided tower that resembles a medieval castle and boasts a 340-square-foot mural depicting the history of the Pikes Peak region. This mural was painted by renowned Santa Fe artist Randall Davey.
The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun is open year-round weather permitting. From April through October, the Shrine is open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and from November through March from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Visitors may reach the Shrine by way of the Russell Tutt Scenic Highway, which passes through the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo located at 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road in Colorado Springs. Highway admissions are stopped an hour before Shrine closure.
Carriage Museum
Julie Penrose, widow of entrepreneur Spencer Penrose who built The BROADMOOR in 1918, built the Carriage Museum in 1941. The Museum features the many carriages that Mr. and Mrs. Penrose collected throughout their lifetime. El Pomar Foundation operates this prominent historic resource in keeping with the Penrose commitment to preserve and promote the region's history and heritage.
The Museum's extensive collection contains 31 horse-drawn carriages, and five motorized carriages, including three Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb racecars (circa 1920s), Mrs. Penrose's 1928 Cadillac limousine, and a 1906 Renault (pictured above).
Among the exhibits are two presidential carriages, including an 1841 Williamsburg Brougham used for the inauguration ceremony of William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States. The other presidential carriage, an 1862 C-Spring Victoria, belonged to the 21st U.S. President, Chester A. Arthur.
Museum doors re-opened to a brand new 8,500 square foot facility adjacent to Broadmoor Hall. Several new exhibits are featured, along with a Broadmoor casino table, authentic Native American artifacts, antique firearms and a collection of vintage riding tack-saddles, harnesses and stirrups. The Museum is open to the public and free of charge.
Museum hours:
Mon-Sat: 9am- 5pm
Sun.: 1pm- 5pm
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