by Michele Kadison

It is hard to imagine visiting the Colorado Springs area without a visit to the Will Rodgers Shrine of the Sun. The five story high tower is made from 5,000 cubic yards of granite taken from Cheyenne Mountain, along with 200,000 pounds of steel, and 20 wagonloads of cement used as fortification, with nary a nail or piece of wood involved. The shrine offers magnificent views from the observation deck at the base of the tower, as well as from the many lookout points higher up. The final observation area stands at 8,136 feet above sea level, providing visitors with a stunning 360 view of the Front Range mountains and the vast reaches of the eastern plains.

At the top of the tower are a set of Westminster chimes that toll every fifteen minutes, eloquently ringing out towards the valley below. At night the shrine is illuminated, providing residents of nearby Colorado Springs with a stunning view of this historic memorial that looks like a medieval style tower.

Will Rodgers was a true Renaissance man who came to the fore in the 1920’s and ‘30s. As a cowboy, roper, entertainer, political pundit, and humorist, he befriended industrialists, politicians, and movie stars in equal measure. When his life ended in a plane crash in Alaska in 1935, mourning was an international affair. It was then that the wealthy philanthropist, Penrose Spencer and his wife Julie decided to dedicate their tower to Rodgers.

The tower was in construction in 1934 before Will Rogers’ death, and it was completed in 1937. Created on a side of Cheyenne Mountain, just above the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the shrine houses the tombs of the Spencers as well as their friends Harry Leonard and Horace Devereux. Their tombs and the various exhibits about these extraordinary people are on the bottom level of the tower.

Inside the tower visitors will find artwork, articles, and photographs, many of them commemorative photos that help define the life of Will Rodgers. Visiting the displays throughout the tower’s rooms and stairways is an excellent way to understand the influence of this amazing man as well as his place in the history of the region.

The Will Rodgers Shrine of the Sun is under the auspices of the El Pomar Foundation, created by Penrose and Julie Spenser as a way to oversee the many philanthropic projects designed to assist Colorado, Colorado Springs, and the Pikes Peak area.

Directions: From Colorado Springs, take I-25 to Circle (exit 138), go west to the Broadmoor Hotel. Turn right at the hotel and follow signs to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, then drive 1-1/2 miles further on the Russell Tutt Scenic Highway.
Phone: 719-633-9925
Admission: Free with Zoo tickets ($12 adults, $10 children)
Hours: Early March to Labor Day, entrance from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, otherwise 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

The shrine is closed at times during the winter months due to bad weather.

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