Fatty’s Place: Archaeology and Tourism in Colorado Springs

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Community Centered Archaeology in Colorful Colorado", at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

“Fatty’s Place” was a curio shop located at the entrance of the Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Edwin L. “Fatty” Rice established his shop near the Gateway Rocks in 1892, along the road leading into the Garden of the Gods Park. Historic photos show a rambling wooden structure with advertisements for a variety of goods including Zang’s beer “Precious Gems,” Native Stones,” “Specimens,” “Ice Lemonade,” and “Ice Mild.” The site was partially recorded in 1993, but was never tested. Given the site’s historical significance, UCCS partnered with the City of Colorado Springs to fully record, test, and evaluate the site. Our project was part of a field school that engaged the community during the project. We became a tourist destination while recording the tourist site. Here, we share preliminary findings, discuss our methods, and tie the site to the larger history of tourism in the area.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Community Centered Archaeology in Colorful Colorado   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow