Glen Eyrie
Encyclopedia
Glen Eyrie is a 67-room English Tudor-style castle built by General William Jackson Palmer
, the founder of Colorado Springs. 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 acres (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 the England
from which Mrs. Palmer hailed.
Queen Palmer, at age twenty-one, 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.
s. 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, or to hike its many trails. 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 throughout the week and Christmas Madrigal Banquets beginning after Thanksgiving.
Glen Eyrie is also a conference and retreat center that hosts many Christian 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.
William Jackson Palmer
William Jackson Palmer was an American civil engineer, soldier, industrialist, and philanthropist.-Overview:...
, the founder of Colorado Springs. This house was his dream home and is near Colorado Springs in the northwest foothills north of the Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.-Genesis of the park:Entrance to the park is free according to the wish of Charles Elliott Perkins, whose children donated the land to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909....
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 acres (3.2 km²) estate. This house was remodeled in 1881 to include a tower and additional rooms, and made to resemble a stone castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, reminiscent of those native to the England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from which Mrs. Palmer hailed.
Queen Palmer, at age twenty-one, 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 a 67-room English Tudor-style castle with 24 fireplaceFireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
s. The castle was advanced for its time, featuring a primitive intercom
Intercom
An intercom , talkback or doorphone is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building or small collection of buildings, functioning independently of the public telephone network. Intercoms are generally mounted permanently in buildings and vehicles...
system, and a chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
system that would hold the smoke
Smoke
Smoke is a collection of airborne solid and liquid particulates and gases emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwanted by-product of fires , but may also be used for pest...
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 Navigators (organization)
The Navigators is a worldwide Christian para-church organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Its main purpose is the discipling of Christians with a particular emphasis on enabling them to share their faith with others....
. The general public is allowed on its grounds Monday through Thursday (9-4) to visit its bookstore, located at the Carriage House, or to hike its many trails. 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 throughout the week and Christmas Madrigal Banquets beginning after Thanksgiving.
Glen Eyrie is also a conference and retreat center that hosts many Christian 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
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
, deer and wild turkey may often be found grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
on the grounds.