Location:
Located along Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs.
The History:
Perkins purchased 240 acres in the Garden of the Gods area to build a summer home in 1879. He never built a house on the land, but he did purchase more of the land in that area. It was open to the public for a number of years before Perkins died in 1907. In 1909, his children dedicated the Garden of the Gods to the city of Colorado Springs. Perkins had specified before his death that he wanted the Garden of the Gods to remain free to the public (Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association, n.d.).
Garden of the Gods was named by 2 surveyors who had set out from Denver to begin a townsite (Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association, n.d.).
The Haunting:
According to Shadowlands Haunted Places Index, people have reported feeling the presence of someone in the car with them when they are sitting in the parking lot. Also, people have reported that cars will die unexplainably and their brakes will go out along the road and that these events can be attributed to paranormal activity at the Garden of the Gods.
One of our staff members at Omahaunt lived at Spring Canyon Apartments, which is within jogging distance from Garden of the Gods. She reported that though she had gone jogging there frequently, she never once had a paranormal experience at Garden of the Gods.
Blue orbs have been reported by other people who have investigated the park.
The Shadowlands Index report says that there is an Indian Burial ground at Garden of the Gods, but we have not been able to support this report through research.
Observations:
The Cliff Dwellings are located nearby and certainly Native Americans did use the area in and around the Garden of the Gods.
Resources:
Destination 360 (2008). Garden of the Gods. Retrieved September 3, 2008 from http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/colorado/garden-of-the-gods.php
Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association (n.d.). Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. Retrieved September 2, 2008 from http://www.gardenofgods.com/parkinfo/index_253.cfm
Shadowlord (1998). Shadowlands Haunted Places Index. Retrieved August 2, 2008 from http://theshadowlands.net/places/colorado.htm