Object Decade: 1970 - 1979

The Nor’wood Development Group was founded in 1978 when David Jenkins, a Colorado Springs native, left his work at a Tejon Street clothing store to start this new real estate development firm. Nor’wood owns, develops, and manages real estate in the Pikes Peak region. The firm began by developing the Nor’wood neighborhood in what was then the northern periphery of the city, adjacent to Briargate and Chapel Hills Mall. A part of this project became Cottonwood Park, a recreational amenity serving the northern neighborhoods. Since its initial success, which required navigating the disastrous Savings and Loan crisis on the 1980s that bankrupted many developers, the firm has created master planned communities such as Wolf Ranch in the northeast and Mesa Ridge in the south. Nor’wood also was the lead developer for the First & Main shopping complex on Powers Boulevard in the city’s east. In 2014 Nor’wood purchased the Banning Lewis Ranch and worked with City Council to reduce regulations and development fees on the site; the firm is now poised to develop the largest suburban settings on the city’s eastern periphery. With these projects and numerous other commercial and apartment complexes, Nor’wood has been one of the largest developers of suburban Colorado Springs and greatly shaped its residential and commercial landscape. In addition to these suburban projects, the company has become a key player in revitalizing the downtown urban core, with projects such as the Plaza of the Rockies, Eco 333 apartments, the Alamo Complex, and soon to be major projects around the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum and the Weidner Field downtown stadium that will be home for the Switchbacks Soccer Club. Nor’wood donated land for the Olympic Museum and has also entered into a partnership with UCCS to develop its downtown campus in the company’s Alamo Complex. Founder. The family created the Nor’wood Foundation that has contributed over $7 million to local philanthropic and religious organizations. Nor’wood Development Group is one of the city’s most successful real estate companies.

Generously Submitted by Dr. John Harner, Professor of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Clifford Nakata’s personal story includes recognizable themes in the history of Colorado Springs: patriotism, migration, national defense, and growth.

PATRIOTISM
After Pearl Harbor, teenaged Clifford, his twin sister and his parents were moved from their home town of Kingsburg, California to an internment camp in Gila, Arizona.

This experience led Clifford to affirm his loyalty to his nation, and strengthened his patriotism.

Subsequently drafted to take up arms in defense of the United States during the Korean Conflict, Clifford served with distinction. He told that he completed 77 missions behind enemy lines, and was the only member of his unit to have survived.

MIGRATION
From growing up in California to being relocated to the internment camp in Arizona; from providing military service in the Korean Conflict to working as a NATO planner in Europe; then finally deciding to adopt Colorado Springs as his place of residence and professional practice, Clifford’s migration story is like that of many military service members choosing to settle in Colorado Springs and make it their home.

NATIONAL DEFENSE
Clifford’s Nakata Planning Group was regarded as one of the premier professional military planning practices in the 1980’s and 1990’s, helping make Colorado Springs synonymous with planning for victory in national defense. He provided the first ever comprehensive survey of US Army bases in Europe for USAREUR, locating and mapping all the military communities and bases that were established after World War II and are still in use today. He guided his Planning Group’s development of comprehensive base master plans, mobilization plans and demobilization plans for US bases throughout Germany, England, Italy, Japan, and South Korea. He also developed plans for installations across the continental United States and Alaska, including the local ones of NORAD, Peterson Air Force Base and Fort Carson. By formulating plans to strengthen US military installations in important theatres of military engagement, Clifford’s efforts contributed to the United States’ victory of the Cold War.

GROWTH
Clifford was not only a significant planner in our nation’s history, but also a prolific architect. Responding to Colorado Springs’ growth, he completed numerous education buildings, among them the Centennial Campus of Pikes Peak Community College; and ones at Colorado College, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and the United States Air Force Academy. He completed a large number of school buildings for Academy School District 20 and Harrison School District 2. Among his signature civic buildings are the downtown Colorado Springs Jail, the Alamo Corporate Center and with his long-time friend and associate John James Wallace, the El Paso County building and Pikes Peak Center complex. His corporate projects included ones for Current Inc., Goodwill Industries, IBM and the corporate offices of GE Johnson and Nunn Construction companies. His health care work included projects for the Penrose-St. Francis hospital system. Of particular significance, with both his planning and architectural practices, he completed the Downtown Action Plan which has been instrumental in shaping the development of Downtown Colorado Springs.

Generously Submitted by Gregory Friesen, FAIA

What began as a race between a small group of friends in Black Forest in 1976 organized by Dewey Reinhard with an entry fee of one six-pack of beer each and 100 spectators, grew quickly into the wildly popular Colorado Springs Balloon Classic. This event is held Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of Labor Day weekend in Memorial Park and features nearly 100 balloons.

Balloonists from not only several towns in Colorado, but also numerous other states and countries travel to Colorado Springs which is a prime location for flying hot-air and helium balloons because of the cool, thin mountain air which “allows balloonists to reach great heights while using less fuel and carrying heavier loads.” It is also a prime location because of the iconic backdrop of Pikes Peak which has inspired photographers and artists such as Lucille Damico to capture the bright colors and unique shapes of the balloons surrounded by cheerful families.

The Colorado Springs Balloon Classic became one of the five largest balloon exhibitions in the country, the largest air show in Colorado, and named among the top 100 events in North America by the American Bus Association. The festival grew from 100 spectators in its first year to an estimated 250,000 at its height, with spectators travelling from all over the state. The main event is the lift off of balloons in the early morning weekend hours.

For several years the balloons participated in a hare-and-hound race wherein one lead balloon (the hare) takes off 20 minutes before the main group. The “hare” lands and puts out a giant X on the ground that the rest of the balloons are supposed to drop either a bean bag or bag of seed as close as possible to the center of the X. Another tradition is the dipping of the wicker passenger baskets into Prospect Lake, although this tradition ended in 2019 when a blue-green algae bloom closed the lake.

Saturday evening the Balloon-Glo event is held. The balloons do not leave the ground, instead they fire up their engines and blow air into the grounded balloons which makes them luminate brightly in the low light of the park. Each year spectators have new favorite balloons including the Energizer Bunny, Darth Vader, a giant 7-Up can, Tweety Bird, a viking, and a Burger King Whopper.

In 2014, the organizers of the event announced that due to disagreements with the City Council over a mandate that for-profit events needed to pay for police presence for crowd control, that the Balloon Classic would no longer be held in Colorado Springs and would move elsewhere. The local community responded with outcry and voiced passionate support to keep the event in the city.

The event was saved by Scott Appelman and Tom Osborne, along with the collaborative efforts of Hot Apple Productions and the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation. Their dedication ensured the festival not only survived but thrived. Innovations included adding more family activities to keep attendees entertained, even when balloons were grounded due to poor weather. In 2015, the festival was renamed the Labor Day Lift-Off. Since then, the event has drawn even more spectators and balloonists. Not even COVID-19 could stop it. Despite restrictions on large gatherings, Appelman and Osborne orchestrated a city-wide launch of 35-40 balloons from 10-12 locations, allowing residents to enjoy the sight of unique colors and shapes filling the Colorado sky. This collaborative spirit continues to make the Labor Day Lift-Off a cherished tradition in Colorado Springs.

Generously Submitted by Heather Poll, M.A.

Local leaders convinced the fiscally-strapped U.S. Olympic Committee (now U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee) to relocate from its cramped New York City headquarters to Colorado Springs in 1977. Enticed by generous land donations and a grant from the El Pomar Foundation, plus the 6,000 foot elevation beneficial to athletic endurance, the committee converted a 36-acre site on East Boulder Street to the new Olympic Training Center (OTC) that opened in 1978. Originally the location of the Methodist Beth-El tuberculosis sanatorium, the site later became ENT Air Force Base. When the U.S. Air Force closed ENT in 1976, the city took over the site by swapping land that enabled the Air Force to move to Peterson AFB. The OTC was designed to enable U.S. athletes to compete with Soviet-block athletes. A complex with residence halls and a multitude of gyms, rinks, pools, tracks, and other sporting facilities, about 15,000 athletes are hosted annually at the OTC, with facilities such as the Velodrome bike track hosting regional competitions and meets. About 130,000 tourists visit the OTC annually. This has spawned a host of related businesses—59 national and international sports organizations, plus 23 national governing bodies for Olympic sports—that generate an agglomeration economy around amateur sports. The Olympics and Paralympics alone employ 2,100 people. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which occupied the old NORAD building at the OTC site, considered relocating its headquarters in 2008 after it outgrew its facilities. The city subsidized the USOPC with $53 million for a new downtown location, upgrades to the OTC, and other site improvements to entice the organization to stay. In exchange, the USOPC agreed to stay for 25 years, and more importantly, allowed Colorado Springs exclusive marketing as “Olympic City USA.” The city started the Olympic branding in 2016, focusing on this theme to construct its new urban identity. Colorado Springs was awarded a state tourism grant for their “City of Champions” proposal to help build the first ever Olympic Museum, which opened in 2020. Expected to bring 350,000 tourists annually, the museum has also sparked major downtown redevelopment plans for housing and commercial facilities, including a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks to connect America the Beautiful Park along Monument Creek with the central urban core. Colorado Springs is banking big on the sports economy as both a basic industry and a tourist attractor.

Generously Submitted by Dr. John Harner, Professor of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

For 43 years, the holiday lights always were a little brighter at John and Joan “Jo” Knull’s East Dale Street home. The couple began their Christmas tradition in 1970 by assembling in their yard a Santa, sleigh, and three reindeer built by John’s father. Over the years, they added to it a menagerie of homemade décor: ice skating bears, paintbrush-wielding elves, a rotating Christmas Tree, a seven foot tall Ferris wheel complete with Santa, and the snowman with moving arms featured in the exhibit.

Residents and visitors to Colorado Springs enjoyed the Knulls’ display from the Saturday after Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day with extended hours on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Each area of their yard had a theme: the front yard with religious pieces, the backyard featuring Santa’s workshop, while the side yard transformed into a winter wonderland. Over their driveway hung a massive arched “Merry Christmas” sign while candy canes and candles dotted the yard.

During the off-season, the display took up a third of the Knull’s garage. Throughout the year, the Knulls would plan and create new decor with setup beginning on November 1st. The couple worked together to make each decoration, reusing materials they found in electronic shops, flea markets, and junkyards. John, a machinist and welder for the city, fabricated their creations while Joan created the papier-mâché pieces and painted their designs. In 1987, they added their first motorized feature. The couple added a new component each year and later every other year until 2006 when they no longer had space.

The home attracted thousands of visitors, both locals and out-of-town guests. Knulls won awards for best lights from KRDO. But for the Knulls, the true reward was the Christmas spirit and appreciation of the community. People would thank them for their “Christmas house” throughout the year. The Knulls received Christmas cards from people from other states who saw the display while visiting family. For some locals, it became a multi-generational experience; people who had first viewed the display as kid now brought their own children.

December 2013 marked the last year of the Christmas display after John passed away the previous April. With the help from family and friends, Joan put the display up as a tribute to John. To thank the Knulls for sharing their holiday spirit, the community came together to surprise Joan with a celebration of thanks. To help keep John Knull’s memory alive, Joan gave away the decorations she and John so lovingly created. Pieces ended up with several neighbors, a local church, the couple’s children, and the museum.

Generously Submitted by Caitlin Sharpe, CSPM Registrar

Colorado Springs native and 1970 Wasson High School graduate Rich Gossage spend 22 remarkable seasons in Major League Baseball as one of the game’s all-time premier closers. Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1970 in the 9th round (198 overall), Gossage was assigned to Chicago’s Single A team affiliate in Appleton, Wisconsin where he led the league in wins while posting an 18-2 record and a 1.83 earned run average catching the attention of White Sox General Manager Roland Hemond and Manager Chuck Tanner. Blessed with an overpowering fastball (98-102mph) Gossage was on his way to the big leagues.

Manager Tanner knew from the start that his talents should be utilized to close out games. Pitching the last few innings of the game to preserve victory. At age 20 Gossage made his Major League debut on 4/16/1972 with the Chicago White Sox. Pitching with the White Sox through the 1976 season. Teammate Dick Allen, one of the most feared hitters of his era, told Gossage, “Don’t be afraid to throw one under their chin. Everyone watching will know you’re an intimidator.” Gossage responded by becoming one of the most intimidating relief pitchers of the 70s and 80s. Due to a managerial change Gossage spent 1976 as a starting pitcher. Chicago then traded Gossage to the Pittsburgh Pirates where he was reunited with Manager Chuck Tanner. Gossage returned to the closer role, where he began a 12-year streak of double-figure save totals. Gossage was quoted as saying, “I love the feeling of coming to the ballpark every day and knowing I’ve got a chance to work. I’d go crazy as a starter. Imagine having a bad game and then having to sit around four or five days before you pitch again. You’d be thinking about it all the time. That would be terrible.” His return to the “closers role” was a natural. Gossage dominated for the Pirates in 1977. Unfortunately, the team was unable to sign Gossage in the off-season.

Gossage signed a free agency contract with the New York Yankees in November 1977. His six years as the New York closer included four All-

Star teams, 150 saves and a 2.10 ERA. In 1978, the New York Yankees earned another World Series Championship by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to two. Gossage pitched in three games, finished three games, earned one win, pitched six innings and gave up just one hit and zero runs to help close out the Dodgers!

After the 1983 season, Gossage signed a free agency deal with the san diego Padres providing immediate dividends by recording 10 wins and 25 saves to help San Diego to its first-ever World Series in 1984.

When Gossage, a nine-time All-Star retired after the 1994 season, his resume speaks for itself. A 22 year big league career with nine different clubs, second MLB pitcher to reach the 300 save mark, pitched in 1,002 games and finished 681 of them. 9 time All-Star (3 National League, 6 American League), career 3.01 ERA, 1809.1 innings pitched, 1502 strikeouts, 115 relief wins, led the American League in save three times, and was named Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year. Goose Gossage was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.

Generously Submitted by Jim Wahl, CSPM Customer Service Specialist

Before moving to Colorado Springs in 1969, John Herzog had significant experience in public relations and marketing for firms in San Francisco and New York City. In the Springs he went to work for Chuck Bowling, former Air Force Major and owner of startup company Casyndekan. Bowling was a neighbor of Helene Knapp, an MIA wife. After learning about the POW/MIA issue from Helene, Bowling wanted to support the work being done locally to advocate on behalf of the POWs/MIAs. He asked Herzog to assist the Colorado Springs for POWs organization and paid him to do so. Herzog’s expertise was much appreciated and resulted in a sophisticated advocacy campaign with compelling visuals.

As Herzog remembers, “This was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities… We wanted a letter writing campaign, and petitions signed. We ended up getting 150,000 letters; that was one for every two people living in Southern Colorado, including kids. We had schools where the classes would start writing letters. We had people standing outside grocery stores collecting signatures. We created posters so the public knew what was going on — it was a coordinated effort.” The matter was urgent and Herzog created persuasive literature that described the need for the public to act, and to do so quickly.

The marketing campaign was thoughtfully planned and far reaching. A poster designed for The National Week of Concern was paid for by the Association of Air Force Graduates and featured a heart-wrenching photograph of a POW. The posters were placed in stores windows throughout town. A series of billboards was unveiled, and advertisements appeared in local newspapers to coordinate with coverage on radio and television stations.

Recognizing the popularity of Colorado Springs to tourists year-round, Colorado Springs for POWs used it to their advantage. They produced POW/MIA awareness brochures and postcards that were handed out at local tourist attractions such as Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. Their marketing strategy was simple; they described the importance of the POW/MIA issue and asked visitors to get involved in a letter writing campaign or other advocacy work in their own communities.

In December 1970, John Herzog served as chairman of Colorado Springs’ six-member delegation to deliver letters to North Vietnamese officials in Paris, France, written by locals on behalf of the POWs/MIAs. And perhaps most notably, Herzog edited and published a collection of heartfelt children’s letters sent to Hanoi seeking release of American POWs titled, Daddy Won’t Be Home For a Long Time.

Submitted by Leah Davis Witherow, CSPM Curator of History

25-year-old Richard Skormam, a self-professed eater-reader, wanted a place that encouraged people to enjoy two of his favorite pastimes, eating and reading. In 1977 there wasn’t an establishment that could cater to both of those needs so Poor Richard’s Read and Feed opened on June 1, 1977. The restaurant was instantly popular. Skorman wanted to encourage people to read and eat healthy, satisfying meals. He was also able to host an impressive cast of literary figures including Allen Ginsburg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Diane di Prima.

In 1982 Skorman became disillusioned with restaurant ownership and discussed selling the business to his employees. That deal fell through and in the fall of that same year someone vandalized the restaurant and set it on fire, causing $60,000 worth of damage. After the remodeling a reinvigorated Skorman incorporated cinema into the business. A cinephile, Skorman showed classic and independent films, eventually writing a book on cinema.

While writing his book Skorman became interested in environmentalism and in 1990 announced his intention to hold the world’s first Environmental Film Festival in Colorado Springs. This would be the first of many environmentally focused endeavors that he would pursue, including acting as a spokesperson for the Colorado Springs Utilities Green Power program in the mid 1990’s.

Skorman turned to politics and was elected to the Colorado Springs City Council in 1999. Poor Richard’s became a sight of Skorman’s political activism, hosting events for gay rights groups and environmental causes. Although Skorman wanted to run a politically conscious business he never wanted to alienate customers and encouraged people from all persuasions to patronize his store, and he made sure he had reading material to appeal to all interests. Richard Skorman would remain a staple of Colorado Springs politics serving as City Councilmember from 1999-2006, Vice Mayor from 2003-2005, and in 2017 became a Councilmember for District 3 and currently serves as City Council President.

Poor Richard’s thrived downtown not just as a business but as a brand. Skorman, along with his wife Patricia Seator, are now co-owners of 4 businesses in the 300 block of North Tejon Street. Poor Richard’s Restaurant, Little Richard’s Toy Store, Rico’s Café and Wine Bar, and Poor Richard’s Books and Gifts stand side by side on the northern end of the Downtown shopping district and they continue to provide a friendly place of patronage for eater-readers.

Generously Submitted by Patrick Lee, CSPM Museum Technician

Did you know that one in eight adults and one in six children in Southern Colorado are at risk for hunger? The mission of Care and Share Food Bank is to not only help the community survive but thrive. In 2019, Care and Share offered 153,401 Southern Coloradans short term emergency assistance through a network of 276 partner food pantries and meal programs across 31 counties. Operating with an efficiently low 4% overhead, the organization can make every penny count for acquiring and distributing food and supplies to those in need.

Sister Dominique Pisciotta saw the consequences of hunger in the Colorado Springs community. In 1972 she started the food bank that became Care and Share. Partnered with the Pikes Peak Food Bank and several local churches, she organized food acquisition and distribution with volunteers to the needy. At first, the food bank operated in the basements and garages of volunteers and churches before it grew into its first warehouse. Between May 1974 and November 1975, 6500 individuals in crisis received enough supplies for three days. This model of a three-day supply is still in use by Care and Share today.

Care and Share partnered with the Pikes Peak Food Bank for several years before the two organizations merged into one. Care and Share started the Emergency Services Network in 1983 to provide better assistance to those in need. The organization found that people seeking food assistance also struggled with utility bills, healthcare, and other financial burdens. The ESN provides resources for subsidies, temporary need solutions, and programing such as Project COPE to help Southern Coloradans get back on their feet.

The economic conditions of the late 1980s and early 1990s changed the type of people seeking need from the agency. The typical individual seeking assistance was either homeless or unemployed. After the economic slump, Care and Share saw a dramatic increase in single moms, elderly, and middle-class community members who struggled nearly as much as the destitute. Once the economy began to stabilize the need in these categories remained unchanged.

Since its beginning in the 1970s, Care and Share has relied on the generosity of the Colorado Springs community. The agency sponsors two major food drives during July and the Holiday season. Nearly every major public event in the city has a food drop off location. Local businesses including real estate agencies, the postal service, churches, and schools have held their own annual food drives in support of Care and Share. Each year the agency expands its outreach and capability to serve the continuously growing need for services. Care and Share outgrew its warehouse and in 2009 moved to its present distribution center which cost less to operate and has more space for food storage including a refrigerated section for dairy and produce.

The agency has always been ready to serve the community in times of large-scale crisis. The Waldo Canyon and Black Forest Fires devasted the local community, but Care and Share organized relief efforts to serve all in need. The agency also aids in disaster relief throughout its 31 counties in Southern Colorado as well as nationally. Care and Share aided communities after Hurricane Katrina and distributed water during the Flint Water Crisis to name a few.

Even though at times the shelves seemed to be almost bare, Care and Share has always initiated emergency food drives and received grants and funds from local and national organizations. What might be most impressive about Care and Share is that they have never closed their doors and have never stopped helping Southern Coloradans thrive.

In 1974, Sister Dominique Pisciotta recognized that many residents struggled with hunger and started Care and Share Food Bank. Operating in 31 counties across Southern Colorado, the organization offers short-term emergency assistance to hundreds of thousands of those in need through its 276 food pantries and Emergency Services Network.

Generously Submitted by Heather Poll, M.A.

From its earliest days Colorado Springs has been home to authors who drew from the natural beauty of its setting and the experiences of the people who lived here.

The best known of early authors was Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885). Jackson’s Century of Dishonor described the unjust and cruel treatment of American Indians by the US government. In over 300 printings of her most popular work, the novel Ramona, she drew attention to the struggle of American Indians in southern California.

“I shall be found with ‘Indians’ engraved on my brain when I am dead. A fire has been kindled within me, which will never go out.”

Frank Waters (1902-1985), a Colorado Springs native, has been described as “a Renaissance man of the American West.” Waters studied engineering at Colorado College and worked for a telephone company in Los Angeles until 1936. During this time he worked on his first novel, Fever Pitch, which was published in 1930 and a series of novels which eventually were compiled into Pikes Peak: A Mining Saga. Waters lived primarily in New Mexico and Arizona. In addition to his own works, he wrote for various publications throughout the US. His 28 works of fiction and non-fiction covered a multitude of locations, subjects and themes focussing on humans and their relationship with the natural world. Best known to readers are The Man Who Killed the Deer and People of the Valley.

“The whole westward expansion myth is seen as romantic. But it’s a joke, a blot on American history.”

Ann Zwinger (1925-2014) showed readers the vast and vivid natural world of the American West through her writing and her art. Her first book Beyond the Aspen Grove, details the natural life at “Constant Friendship”, 63 acres at 8300’ altitude she and her husband purchased in 1963. In 20 more books and numerous articles, Zwinger described in meticulously written and artistic detail the natural history of the American West. Her works covered varied ecosystems from the tiny plants of the alpine tundra to the glories of western rivers and canyons. One reviewer of Down Canyon said that Zwinger’s writings were “science in the hands of a poet.”

“There will always be something new to discover: a minute moss never fond before, a rabbit eating birdseed with the bores on a hungry November day, bittern that stays only long enough to be remembered.”

Generously Submitted by Jo Orsborn, CSPM Volunteer