Tri-Lakes history

The History of Monument, Palmer Lake and Woodmoor, Colorado

The history of Colorado's Tri-Lakes region begins with geography. Monument, Palmer Lake and Woodmoor sit on the Palmer Divide, the elevated ridge separating water that flows north toward the South Platte River from water that flows south toward the Arkansas River.

That high crossing influenced Native travel, military exploration, ranching, railroads, tourism and, eventually, suburban development. Palmer Lake became an essential railroad stop and summer resort. Monument grew into the commercial center for surrounding farms and ranches. Woodmoor arrived almost a century later as an ambitious planned community built around a golf course, lake and country-club lifestyle.

The name Tri-Lakes refers to Palmer Lake, Monument Lake and Lake Woodmoor. The regional identity came together around 1970, after the construction of Lake Woodmoor completed the trio. Monument and Palmer Lake are incorporated towns, while Woodmoor remains an unincorporated community governed through El Paso County, special districts and a private homeowners association. (Town of Palmer Lake)

Last reviewed: August 2026.

The Palmer Divide shaped everything

The Palmer Divide extends east from the Front Range between the Denver and Colorado Springs metropolitan areas. The divide rises above the surrounding plains and separates two major watersheds: the South Platte basin to the north and the Arkansas basin to the south. Its elevation produces a cooler, wetter and more heavily forested environment than much of the surrounding Front Range. (Town of Palmer Lake)

People used the broader Palmer Divide thousands of years before the establishment of Colorado towns. Local historical accounts identify the Ute, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa and other Native peoples as having traveled through or lived in the region. The first widely documented United States military expedition through the area was led by Major Stephen Long in 1820. Colonel Henry Dodge's 1835 expedition later mapped the body of water now called Palmer Lake, then identified as Summit Lake. (Town of Palmer Lake)

Permanent Euro-American settlement increased during the 1860s. Ranches and homesteads appeared on both sides of what became the El Paso–Douglas county line. The arrival of the railroad in the early 1870s transformed those scattered settlements into two recognizable communities: Monument and Palmer Lake.

History of Monument, Colorado

From Henry's Station to Monument

David McShane is credited as one of Monument's earliest homesteaders, arriving during the 1860s. He became the area's first postmaster and served as one of El Paso County's early commissioners. Henry Limbach and his family were also central to the settlement's development. (Town of Monument)

The early settlement became known as Henry's Station, a name associated with Limbach. It offered basic services to travelers, ranchers and settlers moving across the Palmer Divide.

The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reached the area in 1871, with regular service beginning in January 1872. Monument was positioned near the railroad but south of the divide's highest crossing, making it a practical location for stores, shipping, lodging and other commercial services. The railroad connected the settlement to Denver, Colorado Springs and markets beyond Colorado. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

A town plat using the name Monument was filed in January 1874. The name came from the prominent rock formation west of town known as Monument Rock. Monument was incorporated in 1879, and its first town meeting was held July 3 of that year. Henry Limbach served as the first mayor. (Town of Monument)

A railroad market for farms, ranches and timber

Monument developed as the principal commercial center for the surrounding countryside. Ranchers raised cattle on the open land east and north of town. Timber cut from the Black Forest and the foothills could be transported by rail. Farmers used dryland techniques to grow grain and potatoes without relying heavily on irrigation. (Town of Monument)

Potatoes became one of the region's best-known products. The Palmer Lake Historical Society's timeline records that approximately 20,000 acres produced an estimated 2,000 railroad cars of potatoes in 1894. Monument celebrated the harvest with its annual Potato Bake, a community feast held near the railroad tracks.

The boom was brief. Crop failures and disease struck in 1895, and potatoes gradually lost their dominant place in the local economy. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Monument's early institutions developed alongside agriculture. Churches, stores, newspapers, a school, a cemetery and a jail appeared during the late 19th century. A second railroad — the Denver and Santa Fe — came through in 1887, reinforcing Monument's position on Colorado's primary north–south transportation corridor. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Monument Lake and the ice industry

The Colorado General Assembly appropriated money for a dam in 1891, and Monument Reservoir — now Monument Lake — was constructed in 1892. The lake provided water and soon supported another local industry: harvesting natural ice. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Workers cut large blocks from the frozen lake during winter, stored them in insulated icehouses and loaded them onto railroad cars. Ice from Monument and Palmer Lake was used in dining cars, refrigerated freight cars, businesses and homes before mechanical refrigeration became common.

The Hanks and Doyle operation was active at Monument Lake by the beginning of the 20th century. The industry declined as winters became less reliable and electric refrigeration replaced harvested ice. Monument's commercial ice operation ended around 1940, and the remaining storage buildings were destroyed by a windstorm in 1943. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Monument in the 20th century

Monument remained a small agricultural and railroad community through much of the early 20th century. The town did not receive electric service until 1931. A Civilian Conservation Corps camp was established at the Monument Tree Nursery in 1933, part of the federal government's Depression-era conservation and employment programs. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Local public institutions became increasingly regional. School districts serving Monument and Palmer Lake were consolidated into Lewis-Palmer School District 38 in 1948. The Monument Fire Department was organized in 1949, and the joint Monument–Palmer Lake Chamber of Commerce followed in 1956. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The construction of the United States Air Force Academy immediately south of the Tri-Lakes region during the 1950s became a major turning point. Academy employees, military families and retirees created new demand for housing. New schools, subdivisions, utilities and businesses followed. (Town of Palmer Lake)

Railroad passenger service through Monument ended in 1971, illustrating the region's transition from rail travel to automobiles and Interstate 25. The opening of supermarkets and shopping centers gradually shifted some commerce away from the historic downtown blocks near Front and Second streets. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Growth accelerated during the 1990s. Safeway opened in 1993, King Soopers arrived in 1999, and residential construction expanded around the town and throughout northern El Paso County. In the 2000s, Monument began annexing additional property along the Interstate 25 corridor and north toward Baptist Road. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Historic Downtown Monument remains the clearest surviving connection to the original railroad town. Its compact street grid, older churches, commercial buildings and former railroad corridor preserve the basic shape of the community created during the 1870s — and today it holds many of the Historic Downtown Monument businesses in this directory.

History of Palmer Lake, Colorado

A lake at the top of the railroad

Palmer Lake occupies a low point near the crest of the Palmer Divide. Before taking its present name, historical maps and records referred to it as Summit Lake and Divide Lake. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

General William Jackson Palmer founded the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in 1870 with plans for a narrow-gauge route from Denver through Colorado Springs and ultimately toward Mexico. Palmer acquired the Monument Farms and Lake property, which included the land that became Palmer Lake. The town identifies 1871 as its founding year. (Town of Palmer Lake)

The lake was valuable because steam locomotives climbing from Denver needed water before continuing down the southern side of the divide. The first Denver and Rio Grande ceremonial run passed through in October 1871, and regular passenger service began in January 1872. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Palmer Lake eventually became one of the most important operating points on the railroad line. The climb from Denver rose roughly 2,000 feet over 52 miles, requiring additional helper locomotives for some heavy trains. Railroad tracks, water tanks, sidings, depots, freight facilities and icehouses surrounded the lake. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

From railroad stop to mountain resort

Palmer Lake was not envisioned solely as an industrial railroad stop. Its elevation, cooler summers, mountain scenery and easy rail access made it attractive as a resort.

Dr. William Finley Thompson arrived in 1882 and platted the community as a health and vacation destination. Palmer Lake was incorporated in 1889. Thompson also began building Estemere, an 18-room Victorian estate overlooking the town, in 1887. The house remains one of Palmer Lake's most recognizable historic properties. (Town of Palmer Lake)

The Denver and Rio Grande enlarged the lake during the 1880s and added visitor amenities, including a boathouse, picnic and dancing pavilion, and expanded depot facilities. Passengers from Denver could travel to Palmer Lake for boating, fishing, picnics and wildflower hikes. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The Rocklands Hotel grew from an earlier hotel called the Glen House. By the late 1880s it had become a substantial seasonal resort hosting dances, musical programs, conventions, sporting events and other entertainments. Guests could also use donkeys, tennis courts, a skating rink and other recreational facilities. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

From 1887 through 1910, Palmer Lake hosted the Rocky Mountain Chautauqua, part of a national educational and cultural movement that combined lectures, music, art, religion, nature study and recreation. The Chautauqua helped establish Palmer Lake as more than a railroad utility stop: it became a Front Range destination. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Two railroads, two depots

The Denver and Rio Grande placed its tracks along the western side of Palmer Lake. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe reached the community in 1887 and constructed a parallel line and depot along the eastern shore.

For decades, travelers saw depots, eating houses and railroad activity on both sides of the lake. During World War I, the federal government directed the competing lines to function together as a coordinated double-track route. That arrangement became known as the Joint Line, a name still associated with the freight corridor between Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The separate Palmer Lake depots closed in 1938 and were replaced by a shared depot in 1940. Much of the second set of tracks south of Palmer Lake was later removed. The abandoned rail bed became part of what is now the Santa Fe Regional Trail, preserving the railroad route as a recreational corridor. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Harvesting ice from Palmer Lake

Commercial ice harvesting began at Palmer Lake in 1873, when investors leased the lake and constructed an icehouse near its northwest shore. The railroad later took control of the operation and developed a large complex at the south end of the lake. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

Workers used horse-drawn cutting equipment and hand tools to divide the frozen surface into blocks. The ice was moved along skidways into storage buildings or loaded directly into railroad cars. Historical accounts describe years when hundreds of railroad cars or thousands of tons of ice were shipped from Palmer Lake. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The work was physically demanding and dangerous. Workers and horses sometimes fell through the surface, and injuries from saws and cutting equipment were recorded in local newspapers. The regional ice industry continued into the early 1940s before refrigeration and changing weather conditions made it obsolete. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The Palmer Lake Star

One of Palmer Lake's most enduring landmarks was created during the Great Depression.

In 1935, Mountain Utilities manager B.E. Jack proposed constructing a giant illuminated star on Sundance Mountain. Local residents and utility workers planned and built the approximately 500-foot-wide structure by hand. Posts, wire, tools, water and concrete had to be carried up the steep mountainside. A German shepherd named Dizzy reportedly helped by carrying tools and supplies in a pack. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The star was completed in December 1935 with 91 lights. Except during World War II, it has been illuminated during the Christmas season and for selected community occasions ever since. The Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department became its custodian in 1937. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The star took on added importance as Palmer Lake's transportation economy changed. When the principal Denver–Colorado Springs highway was moved east of town during the late 1940s, businesses that had depended on passing motorists closed or relocated. The star remained visible from the new highway and became a symbol of the community's determination to survive the loss of through traffic. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The Palmer Lake Star was added to the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties in 2013. It remains visible from Interstate 25, Greenland, Larkspur and portions of Colorado Springs. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

From destination to residential community

The automobile gradually weakened Palmer Lake's resort and railroad economy. Vacationers were no longer dependent on trains, and improved highways allowed travelers to reach a wider range of mountain destinations. The closing of the depots and relocation of the main highway further reduced commercial traffic through town.

Palmer Lake did not disappear. It evolved into a residential community within commuting distance of both Colorado Springs and Denver. Historic buildings, the lake, the mountain backdrop and community traditions — including the Yule Log ceremony and annual lighting of the star — helped preserve a distinct identity. Today's Palmer Lake restaurants and shops carry that small-town character forward. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The Palmer Lake Historical Society and Lucretia Vaile Museum — the society established its museum and library in 1964 — now serve as the principal repository for much of the documented history of Palmer Lake, Monument and the surrounding Palmer Divide. (Town of Palmer Lake)

History of Woodmoor, Colorado

Before Woodmoor: forest, cattle and a dairy barn

Woodmoor is the newest of the three principal Tri-Lakes communities.

The land east of Monument was heavily logged during the late 19th century. Timber was milled locally and transported by railroad to Denver and Colorado Springs. The ponderosa pine forest later grew back under conditions that included decades of organized fire suppression. (The Monument Independent)

After the timber era, much of the property was used for grazing. Several ponds in today's Woodmoor common areas began as livestock reservoirs constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s.

The Woodmoor Barn is the most visible remnant of that agricultural period. The original dairy barn was constructed in 1919, rebuilt after a fire during the early 1940s, and operated as a working dairy facility until the property was acquired for development. It now serves as the Woodmoor Improvement Association's community center. (The Monument Independent)

A “new town in the country”

The development that became Woodmoor began in 1957, when land was assembled for a semi-rural residential community aimed partly at military officers, Air Force Academy personnel and retirees.

By 1964, the project was being marketed under the Woodmoor name. Developer Steve Arnold envisioned a community that would combine large wooded lots and mountain scenery with resort-style amenities. The plans included a lake, an 18-hole golf course designed by J. Press Maxwell, riding stables, a country club, a motel and a shopping center. (The Monument Independent)

Construction of the Lake Woodmoor dam began in 1967. Contemporary promotions described private beaches, docks, sailing, a marina and regattas. Newspapers called the rapidly growing project a potential “new town.” (The Monument Independent)

Woodmoor never became an incorporated municipality.

The Woodmoor Corporation collapse

The Woodmoor Corporation expanded beyond northern El Paso County and undertook a much larger resort development near Steamboat Springs called Stagecoach. That project promised roads, utilities, golf courses, ski facilities and other amenities.

The company filed for bankruptcy protection in January 1974 and was adjudicated bankrupt in July 1975. Hundreds of Stagecoach buyers filed claims alleging that promised infrastructure and amenities had not been delivered. Litigation related to the collapse eventually reached the Colorado Supreme Court. (The Monument Independent)

Woodmoor itself survived, but the unified resort plan did not. Its assets and responsibilities were divided among separate organizations.

Lake Woodmoor became part of the community's water infrastructure. The country club continued independently under several names. Common areas and covenant enforcement passed to the Woodmoor Improvement Association. Public services were provided by special districts and El Paso County rather than a town government. (The Monument Independent)

Why Woodmoor is not part of the Town of Monument

Woodmoor has a Monument mailing address, but a mailing address does not determine municipal boundaries.

Woodmoor is an unincorporated census-designated community. El Paso County controls its zoning, subdivisions and public roads. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office provides general law enforcement. Water, sanitation, fire protection and education are delivered through separate public districts. (The Monument Independent)

The Woodmoor Improvement Association is a private covenant association, not a municipal government. Its authority comes from property covenants first recorded by the developers in 1971. It reviews exterior projects, maintains common areas, enforces private rules and operates forestry and wildfire-mitigation programs. (The Monument Independent)

The result is a community with a strong name and identity but no single Woodmoor government — though its Woodmoor businesses and services are very much part of the Tri-Lakes economy. Its present structure is a direct consequence of the original developer's ambition, bankruptcy and breakup.

A more detailed account is available in the Monument Independent's investigation, “Woodmoor, Explained: The Biggest Tri-Lakes Community That Isn't a Town.”

How the three communities became the Tri-Lakes

For most of their early history, Monument and Palmer Lake were neighboring railroad communities with related but different purposes.

Palmer Lake was the summit stop, water source and resort. Monument was the commercial and agricultural center. The communities shared schools, businesses, churches, transportation and public institutions, but each developed its own municipal identity.

Woodmoor added a third population center and a third named lake during the 1960s. By about 1970, the term Tri-Lakes had entered local use to describe Palmer Lake, Monument Lake and Lake Woodmoor — and, increasingly, the communities surrounding them. (Palmer Lake Historical Society)

The opening of the Air Force Academy, construction of Interstate 25 and expansion of Colorado Springs gradually tied the communities into a larger metropolitan economy. What had been a collection of railroad towns, farms, ranches and timberlands became a growing residential area positioned between Colorado's two largest cities. Most of the corridor's major residential growth occurred after 1990. (Town of Palmer Lake)

Despite that growth, the original landscape remains visible. The railroad still passes Palmer Lake and Monument. Historic Downtown Monument retains its 19th-century street pattern. Palmer Lake's star continues to shine from Sundance Mountain. Woodmoor's barn, lake, golf course and wooded lots preserve pieces of the planned community envisioned during the 1960s. The communities still gather, too — see what's coming up on the Tri-Lakes events calendar.

The modern Tri-Lakes region is therefore not one town. It is a collection of incorporated municipalities, unincorporated neighborhoods and special districts connected by a shared landscape and more than 150 years of transportation, commerce and community history.

Tri-Lakes history timeline

1. 1820

   Major Stephen Long's expedition travels through the region.

2. 1835

   Colonel Henry Dodge's expedition maps the lake later known as Palmer Lake.

3. 1860s

   Homesteads and ranches spread across the Palmer Divide. David McShane, Henry Limbach and other early settlers establish claims near future Monument.

4. 1869

   The first Monument-area post office opens, with David McShane as postmaster.

5. 1871

   The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reaches Palmer Lake and Monument. Palmer Lake traces its founding to this year.

6. 1872

   Regular Denver and Rio Grande passenger service begins.

7. 1873

   Commercial ice harvesting begins at Palmer Lake.

8. 1874

   A town plat using the name Monument is filed.

9. 1879

   Monument is incorporated. Henry Limbach becomes its first mayor.

10. 1882

    William Finley Thompson plats Palmer Lake as a resort community.

11. 1887

    The Santa Fe Railroad reaches the area. Construction begins on Estemere.

12. 1889

    Palmer Lake is incorporated, and the Rocklands Hotel opens its expanded resort operation.

13. 1892

    Monument Lake is constructed.

14. 1894

    Potato farming reaches its regional peak.

15. 1895

    Potato crop failures damage Monument's agricultural economy.

16. 1901

    Commercial ice harvesting prospers at Monument Lake.

17. 1933

    A Civilian Conservation Corps camp is established at the Monument Tree Nursery.

18. 1935

    Palmer Lake residents construct the illuminated star on Sundance Mountain.

19. 1948

    The Monument and Palmer Lake school systems consolidate into Lewis-Palmer School District 38.

20. 1950s

    Construction of the Air Force Academy stimulates housing and economic growth across the Tri-Lakes region.

21. 1957

    Developers begin assembling land for what becomes Woodmoor.

22. 1964

    The Woodmoor name is in use, and the Palmer Lake Historical Society establishes a museum and library.

23. 1967

    Construction begins on Lake Woodmoor.

24. 1970

    The area increasingly becomes known as the Tri-Lakes.

25. 1971

    Woodmoor's original covenants are recorded. Regular railroad passenger service through Monument ends.

26. 1974–75

    The Woodmoor Corporation enters bankruptcy and is eventually adjudicated bankrupt.

27. 1982

    The Santa Fe Trail formally opens as a hiking and bicycling route.

28. 1990s

    Rapid population and commercial growth begins along the Interstate 25 corridor.

Frequently asked questions about Tri-Lakes history

Why is the area called Tri-Lakes?

The name refers to Palmer Lake, Monument Lake and Lake Woodmoor. Palmer Lake was a natural water source later enlarged by the railroad, Monument Lake was constructed in 1892, and Lake Woodmoor was created during development of Woodmoor in the 1960s. The regional name came into common use around 1970.

What was Monument originally called?

The early settlement was known as Henry's Station, after pioneer Henry Limbach. A town plat using the name Monument was filed in 1874. The town was named for Monument Rock, the prominent formation west of the community.

When was Monument, Colorado, founded?

Settlement began during the 1860s, the railroad arrived in 1871–1872, and Monument was formally incorporated in 1879.

Who founded Palmer Lake?

Palmer Lake traces its founding to General William Jackson Palmer and the arrival of his Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in 1871. Dr. William Finley Thompson platted the community as a health and vacation resort in 1882. Palmer Lake was incorporated in 1889.

Why was Palmer Lake important to the railroad?

Steam locomotives climbing the Palmer Divide needed a dependable supply of water. Palmer Lake provided that water near the summit of the route between Denver and Colorado Springs. The community also became a passenger destination, freight facility and ice-harvesting center.

Is Woodmoor part of Monument?

No. Woodmoor uses Monument mailing addresses, but most of it is outside the incorporated Town of Monument. It is an unincorporated community governed by El Paso County, public special districts and private covenant associations.

When was Woodmoor developed?

Land acquisition began in 1957, and the Woodmoor name was in use by 1964. Construction of Lake Woodmoor began in 1967. The original development company entered bankruptcy during the 1970s, but the residential community continued to grow.

Which of the three Tri-Lakes communities is the oldest?

Permanent settlement near Monument began during the 1860s. Palmer Lake identifies 1871 as its founding year, while Monument incorporated first, in 1879. Palmer Lake incorporated in 1889. Woodmoor was developed beginning in the late 1950s.