The History of the El Paso Canal

Presenter: John Haney will share with us the “History of the El Paso Canal.” General Palmer, Colorado Springs founder and first “developer” of Colorado Springs, sought to sell lots and create a lush resort on ground that was nothing more than dry desert.  To this end, he constructed the El Paso Canal. The presentation will show how the canal contributed to the city’s early growth and development and what it is used for in today’s world.

John A. Haney is a Colorado Springs native; his family has been here since the 1890’s. He serves on the Historic Preservation Alliance Board of Directors, chaired HPA’s committee that published Historic Homes of Colorado Springs and Vicinity, and has co-authored books on streetcar histories.  He founded and is a board member of the Pikes Peak Trolley Museum & Restoration Shop.  As a youngster growing up in the Old North End he played with boats in the ditch box fed by water from the El Paso Canal along Cascade Avenue.