About Town: Articles on local businesses, homes and events

Contents
  • 1871 plat of town and businesses at the time
  • Society of Friends or Quaker church
  • HB Ring Ranch
  • A Brief History of Fountain's founding in 1859 and the Lincoln Trading Post and Charter Oak Ranch
  • Fire and Police Departments and the town jails
  • Mountain water 1911-13
  • excerpts from the Fountain Herald 1903, 1921-24, 1940 (with town history by Rose Torbit), 1948 and an attempt at passing prohibition
  • Photographs of businesses, and highlights from the Commercial Club annual of 1919
  • Advertisements from 1920 First Baptist Jubilee Program
  • Post Office history
  • Lock Store and the Fountain Dispatch
  • John Metcalf
  • the Walt Fortman Center
  • Woodmen Huts
This is the original plat of the town of Fountain, submitted in 1871 by the Terrells and Isaac Hutchin.  Note the two churches - one the corner of Ohio and Race, and the other on the corner of Missouri and Main.  No details on churches at these locales in 1871 are known.

The identity of another church at Main and Ohio, here crossed out, comes from an abstract of title (below), which recorded some of the early sales of lots in the town.  The Terrells made a warranty deed to the Society of Friends for land in lots 1, 2 and 12 in Block 12, now part of the commercial block.  The Terrells were Quakers, members of the Society of Friends, and oral histories mention that they came west because of their opposition to the Civil War.  The Friends met in people's homes in Fountain, and perhaps they also had a church in town for a time.  Click on the images for more detail.


Abstract of Title for lots in Fountain
An article from the Denver Tribune, published Feb 6, 1871, and referred to in another paper (likely the Central City Daily) notes that the survey and plat of Fountain was filed January 14.  A dozen buildings stood, and 30 or 40 town lots had been sold in the past few weeks.  The school house had about 30 students, and public worship was held there nearly every week.  AH Terrell, the postmaster, furnished rooms for passing travelers. Peabody and Jordan were finishing a large 24 by 46 foot two-story building which would house a store downstairs and room for Jordan’s family upstairs.  A railroad depot was to be built soon, and a bridge over the Fountain Creek and a road across the mesa to Canon City were proposed.

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The Fountain Valley Centennial Review Souvenir Edition was published by the Security Advertiser and Fountain Valley News on Sep 15, 1976. Copy courtesy of Chamber of Commerce.

Fountain was founded the same year as Colorado City, Denver, Golden and Central City, in 1859.  The first ranch house was constructed by John Irvine in 1860.  He was originally from Scotland, and built his house near Wigwam, south of Fountain.  This was later known as the Lincoln Trading Post.  The foundation walls were up to 5 feet tall and constructed of concrete and rock mix.  This strong house was used as a fort when there was a threat of Indian attack.  Old timers recall being told of piles of guns stacked inside, left by government scouts for the settlers use.

The tack room on the old Hannah Ranch, four miles south of Fountain, is made of square-hewn timbers scavenged from the old trading post by the Willis cowboys.  Remnants of the walls of the Lincoln Trading Post are about 9 miles south of Fountain, and 3 miles south of the Pikes Peak Meadows Race Track on Wigwam Road.

The stage stop was surrounded by a wall.  It had a gate on the east side.  At the time, there were only 4 white families living on the east side of Fountain Creek between Pueblo and Colorado City.  The stage road ran along the west bank of the creek because the land to the east was considered neutral territory.  It was used as hunting grounds by the Utes and the Plains tribes.  The stage road came to a point east of the Charter Oaks Ranch. [See also Ben Requa in the People section, and the story about Andrew Lincoln.]
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Fountain's Fire and Police Departments

Fountain’s Fire Department was organized in 1913.  They recently acquired the oldest garage in town, the Square Deal on Main Street, for use as the fire station.  A renovated office serves the 24-hour dispatcher for the fire, police, electric and street departments.  The department vehicles include a 1941 truck, a 1968 Chevy pumper, a 1952 Dodge 4 x 4 grass fire fighting truck, a 1971 Clubwagon rescue unit and the hose cart purchased by the town in 1920.

Gary Kelling, fire chief since 1968, succeeded Allan Simpson, who replaced Don Powell, all who still serve as firefighters.  Earlier chiefs were Burt Tatman, and ___ Rutledge.  Other members of the fire department include Tim Abeyta, Don Higby, Don Miles, Jim Day, Don Anderson, Don Douglas, Keith Orcutt and Carl Soltwedel. Firemen are paid $15 for every three months of services. [Fountain Valley News Jun 2, 1971 p2]

When Fountain was incorporated in 1903, the first town marshal was LA Toothman.  Al Licastro (right) became Fountain’s Police Chief in 1966.  In 1971, the department served 3000-plus residents with 4 patrolmen- Jim Bailey, Ron Skidmore, Don McDowell and Virgil Haskin, plus the chief.  Robert Zabriskie, former chief, worked part-time as clerk.  The town has two patrol cars, and a paddy wagon used to transport canines to the Springs pound.  The department moved from the Town utilities building on Santa Fe to its own renovated building in 1969. [Fountain Valley News Jun 16, 1971]


Town jails, Fountain Valley News 1968
When the old jail at Walnut and Missouri [top] was evaluated as part of the 1976 historic buildings survey of the county, they noted that it was currently being used as a museum and was open most afternoons with retired Fountainites staffing it.  The building was right next to an irrigation ditch. 

The other jail was near the ATSF railroad depot.

Fountain Valley News 5/8/1974








These minutes of the town council from October 1903 show that the jail had been completed, though they don't say which one.  They also note that liquor licenses were approved for both George Tucker and Mrs. A. Mingman.

   
New Jail, Fountain Valley News, Dec 6, 1972


Does Fountain have the smallest jail in the United States?

Possibly.  An on-line search will bring you to Haswell, Colorado and their self-proclaimed smallest jail, which is 14 x 16 feet.  But Fountain's 1903 jail has that beat!  It measures about 13x14 feet.  Granted there probably are smaller jails still in existence, but information on them is sparse.















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Mountain Water
In 1903, the Fountain Land and Irrigation Company began construction on two reservoirs northeast of town.  The developers claimed they would provide enough water to bring 20,000 acres under cultivation.  This was the Johnston Reservoir system.  To promote their project, and sell land, they planted a 160 acre experimental garden, including a cherry orchard.

The company also promised to erect a canning factory in the town of Fountain, so that all of the produce could be processed, and shipped out at a profit.  The town of Fountain offered land near the Santa Fe Railroad depot for this factory, but it never materialized.  Sugar beets were raised in the region in the 1910s and later, but these were loaded into railroad cars and shipped off for processing elsewhere.

In 1904, the town of Fountain constructed a ditch which brought fresh mountain water from the Little Fountain Creek into a water main system.  Residents tied into this system, and made plans for lawns and gardens around their homes.  A drinking water system was developed in December of 1911. Prior to that time, residents used wells. The water was piped in from the Little Fountain Creek, a distance of some 12 miles. The town storage reservoirs on the mesa west of town have a capacity of 3,380,288 gallons. Fountain owns the first water right in the Little Fountain creek.

On August 23, 1913, the town of Fountain celebrated the completion of the water system with a barbecue. It was a big day, thousands were present, among them the county commissioners and many county officials and other prominent citizens of Colorado Springs. W.G. Riddoch presided, and J.B. Pyles (water mayor) gave a history of water works and welcomed the people. Many visitors made speeches. There was a fire run and other demonstrations of the system and the great Midland Band enlivened the occasion.
An electric light plant was constructed in 1919-1920.  This stood on Walnut near the D&RG depot [Advertiser & News, Sep 22, 1999].
[Taken from newspaper and booster articles written in the 1910s.]

News from the Fountain Herald

The Fountain Herald was published by Harry Ellington in 1899. Businesses mentioned in this 1903 ad include the Fountain Trading Company, owned FE Torbit, which was on South Main (where the quilt shop is now).

Emory Reed seems to have had a store in the Hotel Fountain, which stood at the northeast corner of Illinois and Race (now the Aragon playground).

Nellie Vernon had enlarged her storeroom, and offered a better selection, with jaunty shoes!  The location of her store is not known.

The First National Bank had a small building at the northeast corner of Main and Missouri (later used as the Town Clerk office, demolished in March 1962).  The Fountain Lumber and Supply Company was just north or northeast of Woodmen Hall.


The Fountain Herald was purchased by Thomas B. Pyles in 1907 out of a shop on East Ohio.  Pyles sold the paper to LW Hilgendorf in December 1919.  Issues from the early 1920s have been microfilmed and are available for viewing in the Special Collections at the Penrose Library.  Most of the newspaper has not survived, and it would be very enlightening to find a stack in someone's closet!

These businesses were advertising in the paper in the early 1920s. Photos from the Commercial Club Annual of 1919, courtesy of the Fountain Museum.

First National Bank 1921
First National Bank of Fountain, originally the Fountain Valley Bank, was chartered in 1903. The new bank on Main St. at Ohio was opened in December, 1921. Herbert R. Tubbs, Louis G. Niles and M.L. Rhinehart, all of Fountain, worked there.  W.D. Shaw of Buttes was the Vice President.  Other men from the Springs were officers. The bank had occupied a small brick building at the northeast corner of Main and Missouri, and the need for a new bank building with a modern vault door had been seen for some time [for photo see the Census and Business Director page].  Then Mrs. Crackin offered the old City Drug Store for sale, and arrangements were made. The old property was sold to WE Whalen and Tom Clopton of the Fountain Garage.


Dec 1913 Photo showing City Drug in the distance, at the corner of Ohio and Main. Mel McFarland notes that AL Zeiser's drug store operated here in the 1890s. 

Fountain Flour and Feed Co.

1923 Fountain Herald Advertisement, probably located on Ohio east of Main
Fountain Lumber and Supply Co. Located on Ohio just east of Woodmen Hall. See Sanborn map of 1914 on Census and Business Directory page.   Transferred from McCune to Riddock between about 1890 and 1900.
    
    Gazette Mar 7 1890
     
    Fountain Lumber, 1919
Fountain Theater.  Showed some of the latest films several nights a week, with shows presented by town lodges.  Facade remodeled in about 1919 with fake granite and 14 new lights, located on the west side of Main Street.


Fountain Herald news clipping



Theater as seen in the 1950s
















 
Black-face Minstrel Show, circa 1920s

Monk's Fountain Hardware & Implement Co. 1919,
southwest corner of Main and Ohio
Fountain Implement Interior

This 1906-07 clipping shows the block built by George E. Warner, and managed by Frank Colgrove. It included a hardware and tack store, a pool room, barber shop, and bath room - offering hot and cold baths at any time!


  • Fountain Pool Hall
  • Fountain Valley Transfer, D.C. Colbert mgr.
  • J.F. McBride had a garage and blacksmith shop, and a second-hand store in town.  He sold these to Drago and Shirley and moved to the Springs, where he engaged in real estate.
  • People’s Store
  • W.G. Riddoch Investment Co., Real Estate
Riddoch's 1919, north of Woodmen Hall on Main Street
  • Sanborn and Co., merchantile store which switched to “Cash only basis” in 1920s and gave out carnations to the ladies to celebrate. Operating in the big brick building, aka Woodmen Hall.
Woodmen Hall, with Fountain
Lumber at right, 1919
  • George Sinton dairy of the Springs
  • Uneeda Restaurant, George Metcalf Proprietor
Metcalfs's cafe, probably Dec 1913 blizzard

  • (B.) Vanderlip Drug Store, also sold ice cream, magazines
     
    Park Filling and Service Station, A.E. Orcutt Prop.
Wm Godding did light truck work. He is parked on a muddy Main Street in front of the old Orcutt garage. Note the Bakery and Lunch room to the north in what was Etter's Exchange Grocery.
    1919 Orcutt Garage, owned by AE and his brother WD Orcutt.  Their new garage was being built just south of this and had electric lights, steam heat and a large ladies restroom on the second floor [photo on census and business directory page].
     
    Ira Etter's Exchange Grocery, like north of Orcutt's garages
    
    Interior, Etter's Exchange
     
    Fountain Trading Company, owned by FE Torbit.  Built of stone quarried at Castle Rock in the early 1900s. Offered heating coal for sale in 1921 and had a free ham sandwich lunch when their new meat slicer arrived.  Torbit and Slife had bought out Ames and son at this locale [Advertiser & News Sep 5, 1899].
    
    Weekly Gazette Aug 21, 1901
    
    
    Weekly Gazette Oct 10 1901
    Updates published in the Gazette on Oct 16, 1901 note that the "Fountain Trading company's new building would be ready for occupancy the last of next week. The cellar alone will hold a larger stock than is carried by the average country store." The company also had two large warehouses nearby. Mr. Torbit had purchased a large meat refrigerator and a large ice house was to be built soon and filled that winter.
    George Clarke's Paint Shop. A London native who lived in Fountain many years, George was well known for his house painting. The shop was just north of Torbit's store, and later the location of the town theater.  
      
    These community agencies and workers were mentioned:
    George I. Phillips, town clerk
    Will Colbert, Water Commissioner
    L.R. Templeton, Supt of the Light Plant
    C.S. Templeton, Asst Supt. “ 
    F.H. Monk, Mayor 1921
    W.A. Godding, Mayor 1922
    FE Torbit, Mayor 1920
    Thomas B Pyles, Mayor (sometime between 1907-1919)
    Loren Gore, former postmaster
    
    Gore served from about 1914-1919. This may show the Post Office in the back of Gore Store, possibly the Woodmen Hall.
    • Odd Fellows Hall. Used by the Brotherhood men of the ME Church
    • WOW Hall (Woodmen of the World).  Their band played at the 1922 fair and had exhibits here.
    • Baptist Church.  Rev. Thomas M Graham of Denver came down to preach.  At one time services were offered in town on Sunday morning, and at Pinon in the afternoon.
    • Methodist Episcopal Church (=? Free Methodist Church). Selling cauliflower, mangoes, eggs, hot peppers and apples- Sept 1922.
  • The Grange (social club)
  • The Mystic Masonic Club of Fountain
  • Baseball Clubs: The Fountain Scrappers, Pinon Cactus Pickers, Hanover Dry Nesters.
  • Women’s Improvement Club, lead by Mrs. A.E. Orcutt
  • School District 8. Teachers: Ms. Bearden, Mrs. Ted Potts, Ms. Laura Haines

  • These news items appeared in the Fountain Herald in 1921-24:

    July 1921 - An annual social event called the Chatauqua took place

    August 1921 - residents went to Woodland Park to see a Wild West Show. The new 100 foot long bridge over Fountain Creek at the west end of town collapsed following a storm. Repair work on it was hoped to be completed by late September, and the county work crew was digging down to shale before pouring cement for the west abutment. The bridge at Buttes – Wigwam was washed out and they were drilling for bedrock to repair the foundation.  There was also 6 inches of new snow on Pikes Peak.  The foundation for the new bank on Main Street was completed.  The county poor farm expected a bumper crop of hay.

    Sept 1921- afternoon electrical service was discontinued. 
    FE Torbit died in the Springs on September 12, 1921.  He was born in Matoon, IL on May 8, 1862 and came west to Eads in 1887.  Then in 1898 he came to Fountain and opened the Trading Company on Main Street.  He served as Fountain’s mayor, and as a state representative for 4 years.  He is survived by his wife Rose, brothers WA of Fountain and MG of Hidalgo, IL, and a sister.  The funeral procession went from the Law funeral parlor in the Springs, down the Canon City Road, and over Rock Creek Road to Fountain’s cemetery.  (Note the bridge west of town was out at this time.)  His pall bearers were George Johnson, Dr. PJ Hilgendorf, Harry Jones, Robert Christian, and Harry and Charles Torbit.

    Dec 1921 - Thomas Benton Pyles, born in Salem, IL in 1845, died in Fountain at the age of 76.  He established his first newspaper in Salem and upon moving to Kansas in 1880, continued in this line of work.  In 1890 he and his wife lived in Florrisant, CO and published the Crystal Creek Beacon.  They moved to the Springs in 1904 and renamed their paper the El Paso County Democrat.   They purchased the Fountain Herald in 1907.  In Fountain he promoted the town’s water system, electric plant and creamery.  He served as town mayor, councilman, and water rights commissioner. 


    May 1922- The first flood of the season began with a cloudburst over Templeton Gap and the flood swept south, washing out the tracks of the Rock Island and Santa Fe railroad in the Springs.  Flooding in Fountain Creek weakened the bridge on Bates Road and the temporary bridge at the Buttes. The Buttes bridge collapsed that night under the weight of a truck. The driver, Robert Holliman, and Dan Taylor climbed to safety. The new bridge under construction at the Buttes was also damaged. The flood damaged the crossing of Sand Creek at Kelker and the bridge at the George Sinton dairy, cutting Fountain off from the Springs. Fountain’s city water line, which was damaged several times last year, was still in service.

    Eighteen Army planes return home to Fort Sill after staging several local exhibits, including one in the Springs at Kelker field.

    Aug 1922- several electric storms have caused damage at the telephone office, and lightning struck the cottonwood in front of the D&RG depot.  Two of Mr. Minar’s cows were killed. On the Mesa, the black cherries and apples are ripe.  The Johnsons and Minars have new phones; maybe someday the Mesa line will be allowed to cross the tracks and connect to the central.  James Kane hauled cinders to the Mesa mud hole last week and it’s hoped that others who use the road will do the same.  Mr. Toothman added two rooms and two porches onto the JD James home. 

    The Fountain Theater is showing "Sky High"- airplane stunts, on Saturday, Hawaiian Singers on Monday, and "Quick Action" starring William Russell on Tuesday.


    Sep 1922 - First Fountain Valley Free Community Fair to be held Oct 3-5. Events include a horseshoe tournament, baseball games, free motion pictures, dinner, barbeque and a dance.  Livestock will be judged.  Besides foot races, sack races, three-legged races, wheel barrow races and pony races, there was a nail driving contest for ladies and a greasy pig contest. Prizes awarded by local merchants included: water, razors, a camera, cigars, silk hose, gas, baseballs and bats, and silver dollars.  Sponsoring merchants were Sanborn Mercantile, Vanderlip Drug, Fountain Trading Company, Fountain Baseball Club, Fountain Pool Hall.  Herb and Tuff Whalen will clean the Fountain Garage up for dancing, with music provided by the Woodmen Orchestra.

    Sept 1923 - Close out on Ladies shoes at Sanborn & Company, in the big brick building.

    Dec 1923 - The KKK from Pueblo or the Springs ignited a cross east of town near the Coan Ranch.  The PTA will meet Thursday afternoon in the school auditorium.

    Sheriff's Sale will be held for the land of George Milligan and EC Coan, in T16SR65W section 4 NE, also known as the NE 1/4 of tract 28, Fountain Valley Irrigation Company subdivision 1, for the sum of $300 plus interest and attorney's fess. Land includes 9.4 acres and water rights to 34,390 cubic feet of water per acre per year.

    June 1924- The cornerstone for the new school was laid by the Masons, with articles placed in a metal casket under the cornerstone: mason rolls, school history, Women’s club yearbook, bible, coin, newspaper.  The old school was built 18 years ago.  Due to the lack of rain and low water levels, sprinkling times in the town were cut.

    Mrs. Biby was shot and killed by her husband Frank Biby. [Frank was born in 1894 in Colorado. He was a teamster in Lamar in 1910, and a truck driver in Pueblo in 1920, living with his parents.]

    The Fountain Trading Company was buying produce from local farmers of Sunny Slope, saving them the two day trip into the Springs and the expense of lodging and horse boarding, which averaged a third of their profits.

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    BUSINESSES, from the 1919 Commercial Club Annual 

    Fountain businesses in 1919-1920 included the Fountain Trading Company, owned by FE Torbit and GV Johnson, and the Brunswick Hotel.  WA Godding ran a repair shop, and Col. WT Whalen was an auctioneer.  Fountain Billiard Hall did a thriving business under AM Durfee.  Continental Oil had tanks near the Santa Fe Railroad station.  The DM Storey bee farm, a mile north of town on Hwy 85-87, sold honey retail. 

    The Orcutt Brothers Garage, later known as the Square Deal Garage, handled Ford cars and tractors.  (The building was later owned by the city, first for use by the Fire Dept.  When the Fire Department shifted to its Santa Fe Avenue location, the city’s water department moved in.)  Trucks running from Fountain to the Springs and Pueblo were run by Russell Day, and the Fountain Valley Transfer Company, owned by RJ Lindsey.  Benedict’s Carpenter Shop was better known as the Fix-It Shop.  LR Virden’s Garage was the first business to greet tourists coming into town. 



    PL Hilgendorf, physician and surgeon, made Fountain his home, as did dentist BL Heiple, who served patrons from the City Drug Store on Thursdays. (Photo of City Drug at Main and Ohio, looking west, probably after 1913 snow storm).

    Ranch owners in the rural areas included FD Crabb, Asa Coan and Henry Esser.  The Degan Brothers of Denver had a 12,000-acre ranch south of town.  Robert Attebery was their cattle foreman, and Henry Eichel was ranch foreman.
    ----------------------------------------------------
    These advertisements appeared in the program for the First Baptist Church's Golden Jubilee in 1920.


    --------------------------------

    Fountain Herald Feb 9 and 16, 1940
    LW Hilgendorf, Publisher.

    [These issues of the Fountain Herald were photocopied from originals brought into the library by a patron.]

    News
    The Western Union line gang has headquartered here the past six weeks, and are now moving to Colorado Springs.  The 11 men and one’s family stayed at the Fountain Hotel.

    Chilcott Ditch Notice. Annual meeting to be held at office of AM Sayers, town clerk. Henry Benedict, Pres., WF Hinch, Sec.  Sayers suffered a slight stroke and is up part of the time.  His son Bruce is attending to the office work.

    Last Home Game of League Series next Friday Night. Winning its eighth straight victory, Fountain overwhelmed Cripple Creek Friday night, 75-16, to insure at least a tie for the Pikes Peak Basketball championship.  Fred Jacobs and Ted Cossel led the point makers with 24 and 22 points respectively.  The team plays Penrose here next Friday night.

    School News: Marquise Studios of Enid, Oklahoma will be in Fountain to take the seniors’ graduation pictures.  The Student Council sponsored a photographer from the Springs to take pictures of the high school and grade school students.

    The Churches: Methodist – Rev. EG Samuelson, John Chancellor Supt.; Free Methodist – Rev. GM Hadduck, Mrs. John Wilson Supt.; Baptist – Rev. BL Sayers.

    Feature story: What do we know about our community?
    Notes from a lecture by Rose Torbit

    The first building in town and in the county is said to have been the Terrell’s home, built in 1860, and long since destroyed.  It was built partly of frame and partly of grout, and was on the east side of Main Street across from the Ark on the edge of Sand Creek [Jimmy Camp Creek].  It was a stage coach stop, and had a large barn and corral for coaches and horses.

    Thomas Owens settled about three miles south of Fountain in 1859, and his ranch is now part of the Roby and Niles ranches.  The Lock family settled north of Mr. Owens.  Another early homesteader was W.C. Corbin, who settled just south of Fountain, across the Sand Creek [Jimmy Camp Creek] bridge.  Others were O.M. Cotton, J.C. Woodbury and James E. Love.  Love came to Colorado in 1873, and bought a ranch in 1878 that had been homesteaded by Mr. Liscomb, and is now owned by his son Bob.  The Overton Ranch, a few miles to the northwest and across the river [Fountain Creek] was purchased in 1872, and his son Pete Overton resides there. The Williams Ranch, adjoining the Overtons, was purchased by Henry Williams’ father in 1881.  It’s said that in 1879 and 1880 the grasshopper plagues ate all the crops in the valley.  

    The D&RG Railroad came into Fountain in 1872 and the Santa Fe in 1876.  

    In the early days the Indians were a very familiar site, though there were never any battles in the Fountain valley.  Indians rode past settlers cabins and stopped to talk and often eat with them.  During the 1860s any report of Indian attacks was quickly passed along the Front Range by a horseback rider, and the women and children were forted up.  

    According to an old abstract she [Mrs. Torbit] had, the main part of Fountain was patented by Mr. Terrell in 1868. It was conveyed to the town of Fountain by him and Isaac Hutchins, platted and divided into lots on Jan 20, 1871.  Lots 10 and 11 of block 12 came into the possession of Lance Bell and Lucy Eichel, and were transferred to Mr. Barge and then JE Love.  The Torbits purchased the lots in 1901 and built the stone business block of town with rock shipped in from Castle Rock.  The Arapahoe store and the post office reside there now.

    With a population of 600 to 700, we have four churches and all the usual businesses.  The paved highway from Denver to Pueblo is within two blocks of our Main Street.  We receive our electric power from Colorado Springs. Our municipal water system pipes in water from the Little Fountain Creek, some 12 miles away, and two reservoirs on the mesa west of town store water in case of drouth. In the last two years the city has developed a well in the north part of town to use in emergency.  The school system has modern buildings, and added an agriculture building last year.  One of the new industries – poultry raising- is very profitable and Mrs. Vandenburg hatches thousands of domestic fowl and game birds.  For the convenience of her customers, she had her phone installed [number 2527].

    Advertisements:

    Home made chili 5 and 10 c, PEEBLES LUNCH.
    Cold weather radiator service. Square Deal Garage, AE Orcutt, proprietor.
    Fountain Feed Mill. Baby chicks here soon. J. Hascol Wilson, proprietor.

    
    Superior Garage, Chester and Sam Smith
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    Fountain Herald Sep 10, 1948

    Front Page News:  First audit since 1941 alleges $13,381 shortage.  More than 230 pages gone from ledger.
    • Engagement Announced: Sophie Lujan, a 1947 Fountain High School graduate and valedictorian, to David Lujan, son of Nick Lujan of Fountain. The wedding would be held at St. Joseph’s Church.

    Amadeo Duran

    Happy Birthday:  Marie Sours, Ira McGahan, Mrs. Keith Lacey, Wallace Butler

    • Rebeccas celebrate 97th Year with meeting in Martin’s Hall
    • Odds and Ends:  Mr. and Mrs. Amadeo Duran and children left for Los Angeles to visit family members. 
    • Mrs. Hascot Wilson is very proud of her new Kenmore vacuum cleaner.
    • Peaceful Valley: Corn feast held at the AF Rice home for the choir of the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
    • Harvest Festival Fair, sponsored by the Grange, was set for Sept. 25. The use of the school house and grounds were requested.  A big parade featuring Fountain’s own Queen will assemble on South Main Street
    in front of the Ark Antique Shop and move north and east to the new playground. The Fountain Riding Club has planned several riding and roping events.  Livestock, poultry, vegetables, fruit, flowers, pantry goods, handicrafts, and honey will be judged.  Ribbons will be awarded.  Proceeds from the food and fun will go toward building the Grange Community Hall. 
  • Fountain Herald: Published every Friday at the office, corner of Main and Ohio, by C & L Printing-Stationery. Mr. and Mrs. Char. J Haase Jr. editors. 

  • These ads from the 1948 issue reveal that an Amendment was being considered to limit alcohol. 










    
    Christmas in Fountain, about 1946
    In back are the general store [Etter's was later owned by Fortman], the Square Deal Garage and the Fountain Garage
    
    POST OFFICES

    The first Post Office in El Paso County was located about 6 miles south of Fountain.  Its postmaster was Oliver Cotton, who was born in Indiana in 1827 and educated as a teacher.  Hearing of the Gold Rush, he came west in 1859 along the Platte route, mined gold in Leadville (then California Gulch), and owned an interest in the Bobtail mine with his brothers.  He returned to Michigan for his wife in 1860, established a ranch on the Fountain Creek, and dug irrigation canals on the section.  Cotton served as postmaster on and off until his death in 1886.  

    National Archive records show that the Fountain Post Office was established on August 8, 1864, with Amos Terrell appointed postmaster that day. 
    Succeeding Post Masters were Edward H. Gould 1871, Clayton Croft 1873, Henry Hutchins 1880, Elvina Hutchins 1883, Albert Benedict 1886, Grace Hutchins 1897, Mr. Bell 1904, Loren Gore 1914, Nellie Pyles 1919, Cora Northup 1924, Cora Northup Jones 1928, Nellie King 1936, Mildred Cunningham 1955, and Wilbur Snyder 1957.
     
    Iris Mar 4, 1904
    
    From this article we learn that Mr. Bell, possibly Benjamin Crowell Bell, was the postmaster in 1904.  His father Lancelot had died in 1899 and there were no other sons living in Fountain.  Also, Mrs. Hutchin, the former postmistress, died in December 1903.

    The store in which Bell had a post office was burned.  One possibility is the Lock Ames Store, which stood on the east side of Main Street by the school.  Another article (Bulkley) mentioned that there was no place for dances and town meetings after the store burned and before the Woodmen Hall was built in 1905.

    
    Benjamin Crowell Bell
    photo posted on Ancestry by Barbara Eichel Dittig



    Online indexes show that Fountain had a newspaper from about 1888 to 1890 known as the Fountain Dispatch.  Here an article in it is referred to in the Rocky Mountain News on 4-28-1890- the newly opened Lock Store was offered the "opportunity" to act as the town's telephone exchange for the mere sum of $250.





















    From 1926 to 1962, the Fountain Post Office was in an office next to Barney’s Food Market on Main Street [now the Achievement Gallery].  In 1962 it was moved to a new building on the northeast corner of Walnut and Iowa.  This location in “Old Fountain” was chosen so that residents could walk to get their mail.  In 1967, door-to-door delivery was started.  In 1984 the new Post Office on South Santa Fe opened.
    
                        
    Northeast Main Street, 1983 showing garages and shops where city hall is today
     -------------------------------------------------

    John Metcalfe receives an award for plane spotting. During the cold war people were trained to identify aircraft flying overheard, and the town held regular air raid drills.

    Metcalfe was tragically killed by a train in the early 1970s.  The new park east of Fountain was named in his honor.


    Uncle ___ Christian's home was located on West Missouri by the AT&SF railroad tracks, near where the Loaf and Jug car wash stands today.  The vacant old house was burned in 1980 by Fountain's Volunteer Fire Department to clear the lot.

    The race track south of Fountain on I25 was originally used for horseracing.  It was later paved, and NASCAR races were held there until about 2006.
    
    A May 2, 1973 Fountain Valley News article notes that Bill Hambric, city administrator, got authority to make negotiations for an acre of land adjacent to East Iowa and south of the D&RG tracks, to be used as a site for a community center. The land was originally deeded from Walter Johnson to the railroad for use as a loading corral and chute.  Martin Hansen, who headed the Youth Center for a number of years, proposed land south of Walnut Street. [The Iowa location was later acquired and the Walt Fortman Center built.]

    Woodmen Huts - The Woodmen of the World operated a tuberculosis hospital in Colorado Springs, near where Woodmen Road adjoins I25.  Individual sleeping huts ensured that patients received lots of fresh mountain air.  When the facility was disbanded, the octagonal huts were sold off to indivuals.  Some were attached to homes for use as sunrooms, and other were left free-standing.  A home just north of Fountain library has an old run-down Woodmen Hut in the back yard.  Another hut was recently donated to the city and was moved to the Adams Overlook on S. Main Street.  It awaits restoration.
    This May 1974 Fountain Valley News advertisement offers a home and Woodmen hut for sale.  They stood on Fountain Mesa on Camino del Ray at Calle Fontana.  The land was needed by the school district. 

    1900 Fountain Plat.
    Data taken from County Treasurer’s book shows people who paid property taxes for land owned in Fountain that year.  For comparison, see the 1871 town plat.

    Block
    Landowners Name
    Nearest cross streets
    Block 1

    Pettengill FH
    Indiana Main
    Block 1

    Campbell John
    McIntyre JE
    Kentucky Main
    Block 2
    Holt Mary
    Indiana Main
    Block 2
    Terrill & Hutchin
    Indiana Main
    Block 2
    Brevoort WH
    Indiana Main
    Block 2
    Hutchins EH
    Illinois Main
    Block 2
    Campbell John
    McIntyre JE
    Illinois Main
    Block 2
    Thompson GS
    Illinois Main
    Block 3
    BUTLER MJ
    Illinois Main
    Block 3
    Ames Maggie A
    Illinois Main
    Block 3
    Ames Alvin
    Illinois Main
    Block 3
    Page Mina S
    Missouri Main
    Block 3
    Hodges MB Estate
    Missouri Main
    Block 3
    Bell Mrs LE
    Missouri Main
    Block 4
    Hardin WC
    Illinois Main
    Block 4
    Benedict Margaret J
    Illinois Main
    Block 4
    Benedict William A
    Illinois Main
    Block 4
    Perkins WW
    Illinois Main
    Block 4
    Locke Barbara
    Illinois Main
    Block 4
    Barnes WR
    Illinois Main
    Block 4
    Ames, AG Estate
    Missouri Walnut
    Block 4
    Ames, MA
    Missouri Walnut
    Block 5
    Stanfield Sarah J
    Illinois Walnut
    Block 5
    Holt Mary
    Illinois Main
    Block 5
    Rhodes DL
    Illinois Main
    Block 5
    Perkins WW
    Illinois Walnut
    Block 6
    Perkins WW
    Indiana Main
    Block 7
    Walker Lucy E
    Missouri Walnut
    Block 7
    Campbell John
    McIntyre JE
    Missouri Vine
    Block 7
    Barnes WR
    Missouri Walnut
    Block 7
    Peterman Alex
    Missouri Vine
    Block 7
    Benedict Margaret J
    Illinois Walnut
    Block 7
    Straw Jos C
    Illinois Vine
    Blcok 8
    Strow? Joseph C
    Missouri Vine
    Block 8
    Barnes WR
    Illinois Ring
    Block 8
    Peterman Alex
    Illinois Vine
    Block 9
    Bell Mrs LE
    Ohio Vine
    Block 9
    Campbell John
    McIntyre JE
    Missouri Vine
    Block 10
    Loomis AM
    Ohio Walnut
    Block 10
    Bell Mrs LE
    Missouri VIne
    Block 10
    Loomis OS
    Missouri VIne
    Block 10
    Benedict JE
    Missouri Walnut
    Block 10
    Campbell John
    McIntyre JE
    Missouri Walnut
    Block 11
    Loomis OS
    Ohio  Main
    Block 11
    Holmes Mrs CN
    Missouri  Main
    Block 11
    Campbell John
    McIntyre JE
    Missouri Walnut
    Block 12
    Thompson GS
    Ohio Main
    Block 12
    Hutchins I est
    Ohio Race
    Block 12
    Ross Rose F
    Missouri Race
    Block 12
    Clinger Kate M
    Missouri Main
    Block 12
    Barge Ella
    Missouri Main
    Block 13
    Lauck, John H
    Missouri Race
    Block 13
    Loomis OS
    Ohio Race
    Block 14
    Loomis OS
    Ohio Race
    Block 15
    Free Methosist Church
    Ohio Race
    Block 15
    Cooke maynard E Sr
    Ohio Main
    Block 15
    Loomis OS
    Iowa Race
    Block 15
    Carlile Isabel
    Iowa Main
    Block 15
    Campbell John
    McIntyre JE
    Iowa Main
    Block 16
    Locke Barbara
    Iowa Main
    Block 16
    Child CC
    Iowa Walnut
    Block 16
    Williams HT
    Ohio Main
    Block 17
    Loomis AM
    Iowa Walnut
    Block 18
    Bell Mrs LE
    Iowa Vine
     
    Notes from the Museum's walking tour map ( circa 2010) of Fountain show:
    • the Community building at 114 N Main was built in the early 1950s by the Grange, the Extension Club, Royal Neighbors, Modern Woodmen and Rogers Lodge.  In 2004 it became the home of the Museum.
    • The Jail on Walnut Street, near the Library, was built in 1903 and used into the 1940s and 50s as a place for offenders to cool off. It was restored in 2005 by the Museum and Cub Scout troop 238. (The original location of the 2 town jails near the railroad stations dates from the practice of  holding an offender there until the next train came through town, and then sending the person on their way. )
    • Adam's Open Space was donated to the city by the George Adams family. He was a race horse breeder and trainer. 
    • The livery at 217 W Missouri was built by Henry Link in 1893. Adjacent to it used to stand the Brunswick Hotel, also owned by Henry Link. This burned in a fire.
    • The brick house at 111 W Missouri was built in 1925 for Rose Torbit.  She had the wooden house on that lot moved and this built, after her husband's death. FE Torbit managed the Fountain Trading Post, was Mayor in 1919, and a state representative. It is sometimes called the Janitell House because they owned it into the 2010s.
    • The Herald News office was at 119 E Ohio. Opposite are the offices of the Fountain Valley News. (The Herald building was torn down in 2019-20.)
    • The TB hut on Main Street at Illinois was donated by the Frost Ranch in 2009. It sits in the Adams Open Space Overlook.
    • The house at 313 S Main was built in 1864 as a one story residence by Henry Hutchin, engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad. The second story was added before 1888, as photos after the Blast which took Henry's life show 2 stories. 
    • First Baptist Church at 201 N Main Street was founded in 1870, and a church built in 1884 near the Santa Fe depot. After the church was leveled by the blast of 1888, it was rebuilt in the same location, but then moved to Main Street in 1913. A parsonage was built at 111 N Race Street in 1909.
    • Aga Park is named for Sigurd Aga, Fountain's Mayor in 1966.  A Splash Park was added here. 
    • Nearby at 405 N El Paso is an old house, built in 1869. It was home to Wanden Kane, who was Fountain's first woman mayor in 1942. In 1986 a murder confession was found in the home during renovation. Dated 1893, John Spicer confessed to a murder. 
    • The First Methodist Church at 509 N Main Street was founded in 1912.  In 1969 it was sold to the Masons.