The Conejos Neighborhood May Be Gone, But Its Residents And Role In Colorado Springs History Won’t Be Forgotten

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13min 12sec
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-CONEJOS-CHURCH
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
The Chadbourn Spanish Gospel Mission is all that remains of the Conejos district in Colorado Springs. Built in 1910, it was a grocery store before being reborn as a church in 1930, founded by missionary Ruth Chadbourn. Conejos was roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to build America the Beautiful Park.

What used to the the Conejos neighborhood in Colorado Springs is now America The Beautiful Park. A permanent exhibit at the Pioneers Museum will ensure the people who once lived there -- and the contributions they made to the development of Colorado Springs -- won't be forgotten.

210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-AMERICA-THE-BEAUTIFUL-PARK
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
The Conejos district in Colorado Springs was roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to make way for America the Beautiful Park, seen here from the east.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-CONEJOS-CHURCH
The Chadbourn Spanish Gospel Mission is all that remains of the Conejos district in Colorado Springs. Built in 1910, it was a grocery store before being reborn as a church in 1930, founded by missionary Ruth Chadbourn. Conejos was roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to build America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-CONEJOS-CHURCH
The Chadbourn Spanish Gospel Mission is all that remains of the Conejos district in Colorado Springs. Built in 1910, it was a grocery store before being reborn as a church in 1930, founded by missionary Ruth Chadbourn. Conejos was roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to build America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-CONEJOS-CHURCH
The Chadbourn Spanish Gospel Mission is all that remains of the Conejos district in Colorado Springs. Built in 1910, it was a grocery store before being reborn as a church in 1930, founded by missionary Ruth Chadbourn. Conejos was roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to build America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-CONEJOS-CHURCH
The Chadbourn Spanish Gospel Mission is all that remains of the Conejos district in Colorado Springs. Built in 1910, it was a grocery store before being reborn as a church in 1930, founded by missionary Ruth Chadbourn. Conejos was roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to build America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-CONEJOS-CHURCH
The Chadbourn Spanish Gospel Mission, lower right, is all that remains of the Conejos district in Colorado Springs. Built in 1910, it was a grocery store before being reborn as a church in 1930, founded by missionary Ruth Chadbourn. Conejos was roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to build America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-DRAKE
The Martin Drake Power Plant in Colorado Springs is one of the last urban-sited coal plants in the United States. Colorado Springs Utilities has committed to closing the coal-fired portions of the facility by 2023 -12 years earlier than originally planned - and investing significantly more in renewable energy.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-CONEJOS-CHURCH
Chain-link fence and warning signs in what used to be the Conejos district, roughly between Colorado Avenue and Mill Street, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad yard and Monument Creek. The area was bulldozed in the 2000s to build America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-DRAKE
The Martin Drake Power Plant in Colorado Springs is one of the last urban-sited coal plants in the United States. Colorado Springs Utilities has committed to closing the coal-fired portions of the facility by 2023 -12 years earlier than originally planned - and investing significantly more in renewable energy.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-OLYMPIC-PARALYMPIC-MUSEUM
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, seen from the west from what used to be the Conejos district, which was bulldozed in the 2000s to make way for America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-OLYMPIC-PARALYMPIC-MUSEUM
The footbridge over rail yards linking the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs to make way for America the Beautiful Park. Seen from the west from what used to be the Conejos district, which was bulldozed in the 2000s.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-OLYMPIC-PARALYMPIC-MUSEUM
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, seen from the west from what used to be the Conejos district, which was bulldozed in the 2000s to make way for America the Beautiful Park.
210729-CMOTR-COLORADO-SPRINGS-OLYMPIC-PARALYMPIC-MUSEUM
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, seen from the west from what used to be the Conejos district, which was bulldozed in the 2000s to make way for America the Beautiful Park.