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At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, lies the Fountain Valley. This
valley is named after Fountain Creek which flows through the valley. Fountain
Creek originates in Ute Pass and flows through Colorado Springs, then through
the Fountain Valley before joining the Arkansas River in Pueblo. Native
Americans traveled hundreds of miles, attracted to the waters of Fountain Creek
that fed the Manitou Springs. Lt. Zebulon Pike followed Fountain Creek on his
failed summit of the peak named after him, Pikes Peak.
In the Western United States, water is a very precious resource. Fountain
Creek has been a source of water for agriculture, people, and wildlife. At times,
Fountain Creek has become just a trickle of water,  but
also at times it has grown into a raging river sweeping away everything in its
path. This water was a great benefit to early settler that irrigated fields as
early as the 1860's. That irrigation continues to some extent today, making this
valley an oasis in an otherwise dry area.
The Fountain Valley is home to three communities. Nearly 50,000 people live in
the communities of Security, Widefield and the City of Fountain.
Fountain was
founded in 1859 and is the oldest town in El Paso County. Fountain was
the areas agricultural hub of the region. Cattle and crops were transported to
and from Fountain by railroad. When Colorado became a state, Fountain
rivaled Denver for the State Capitol.
In 1953, Security
became a community with a sense of "security". Security was developed
on top of what was then, fields of hay, corn, and other crops. Cottonwood
trees were transplanted from nearby Fountain Creek to line Security Boulevard.
In 1965, Widefield Homes started development of homes in the area now known as Widefield. All
together, the Fountain Valley is home to variety of people, businesses and
industry.
In 1999, the City of Fountain was designated the Millennium City of
the U.S. by the New York Times.
Today, the Fountain Valley is experiencing growth. More people are
finding the Fountain Valley a great place to live with a rural atmosphere away
from the city, yet close to all the amenities of the city. New jobs and new people
call the Fountain Valley home each year. Influences from local military
bases and high tech companies promise a great future for years to come.
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