Cheyenne Mountain Country Club

Cheyenne Mountain Country Club
Founded1891
Websitewww.cheyennemountaincountryclub.com

The Cheyenne Mountain Country Club is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the mouth of Cheyenne Canyon.

History[edit]

Club founded[edit]

The Cheyenne Mountain Country Club Association was founded on February 19, 1891.[1][2] The founders were successful men or came from wealthy families, many of whom came to Colorado for the climate and high altitude as a means to improve their health.[2][nb 1]

Two years prior, in April 1889, a country club was created that offered members facilities for polo, golf, cricket, equestrian riding, shooting, horse racing, shooting and bowling facilities. William A. Otis sold the club a casino and property for the country club in 1891. The club then became the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club.[1]

Early years[edit]

William H. Sanford was the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club's first president and was head of the Polo Committee. Foxhall P. Keene joined the team as a non-resident player in 1896. President Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Payne Whitney and John Percival "Percy" Hagerman played on the club's polo fields.[2]

Members—who came from England, Europe, and the east coast of the United States—were called "Grizzlies". They were generally socialites and businessmen in mining or other industries.[1] By the 1890s, a trolley system was inaugurated to run from downtown Colorado Springs to the Broadmoor Casino and the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club.[citation needed] In 1893, Spencer Penrose was made a member.[2]

Chester Alan Arthur II was president of Cheyenne Mountain Country Club between 1905 and 1908. He also provided funding for facilities at the club.[1] Richard Bolles was the country club's president for 6 years.[3]

At one time the club used live birds for shooting events and docked polo ponies tails; To address concerns about humane treatment the club switched to clay pigeons for shooting and discontinued docking ponies tails.[2]

The club won the Rocky Mountain Polo Championship and the Interstate Polo Club trophy in 1906 and 1907.[2]

Broadmoor Hotel[edit]

Spencer Penrose built the "premier golfing resort", The Broadmoor near the country club.[2] To further attract patrons to the hotel, Penrose developed a polo team. As a result of The Broadmoor resort's success, the country club has not had the notoriety of its early years.[4]

Club facilities[edit]

Polo is no longer played at the country club. As an homage to the club's polo-playing history, there is an exhibit with the Foxhall Keene Cup.[5]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Founders included "Dr. B.F.D. Adams, Arthur Baker, Thomas W. Edsall, E.C.G. Robinson, William H. Sanford, William R. Varker, C.H. White, William J. Wilcox, and Henry Le B. Wills.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Steve Bogener (2003). Ditches Across the Desert: Irrigation in the Lower Pecos Valley. Texas Tech University Press. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-89672-509-6. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Horace A. Laffaye (March 2011). Polo in the United States: A History. McFarland. pp. 37–38. ISBN 978-0-7864-8007-4. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  3. ^ Steve Bogener (2003). Ditches Across the Desert: Irrigation in the Lower Pecos Valley. Texas Tech University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-89672-509-6. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  4. ^ Horace A. Laffaye (March 2011). Polo in the United States: A History. McFarland. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-7864-8007-4. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  5. ^ Horace A. Laffaye (March 2011). Polo in the United States: A History. McFarland. p. ix. ISBN 978-0-7864-8007-4. Retrieved June 11, 2013.

Further reading[edit]

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