Historic Photos of Colorado Springs (reviewed)

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

So I got this book a month or so ago as a complimentary gift in exchange for reviewing it here. So here we go:

Historic Photos of Colorado Springs
Text and captions by Sharon Swint

I already have 2 similar books to this so another one seemed redundant at first. But this is an excellent addition rather than a rehash of what I already have. There are some new photos I didn't have. And it is a little more focused and better organized than the others.

My only problem is omission rather than what is in there. I was hoping that this book might contain some more recent photos. The older ones are great. But I would really like to see some more recent shots, like from the 1970's and 1980's. Like some shots of downtown when there were 3 movie theaters and people used to cruise Nevada Ave. Or some shots from when the Citadel Mall opened. This would be cool addition to the current picture books.

A couple of the shots that really stuck out for me:

Page 129 and the double page picture on pages 130 & 131
The Golden Cycle Mill complex off what is now highway 24. The big picture really provides an excellent illustration of how big that mill was. I have walked up there, seen the ruins, and of course grew up with the big smokestack, but never realized how bit that building really was.

Page 122
El Pomar interior
I have been puzzling and puzzling over this shot. I went to school in that building and I have been trying to identify which room this was. I am pretty sure it is the secondary room that we used as a library. This is what makes books like this fun. Do I remember this?

Overall this was a good book, and I welcome it as an addition to my collection. I will keep it in the living room to share with people who come over. For someone who is looking for an introduction to Colorado Springs history or just a refresher it would be a worthwhile purchase.