To Colorado Springs Residents:
Happy 154th Birthday, Colorado Springs!
As we celebrate another year of this extraordinary city, my heart is full of gratitude. Gratitude for this place I call home. Gratitude for the people who make it exceptional. This year, that gratitude runs even deeper.
Many of you know that I recently faced a significant health challenge. In that quiet season of recovery, I had time to reflect, not just on my own journey, but on the journey of this city. I was reminded of a few enduring truths: healing takes time, progress requires perseverance, and both are only possible with the support of a strong community.
And that is what Colorado Springs has always been; a community defined by its resilience, compassion, and spirit of togetherness. You lifted me up with your prayers, your messages, and your acts of kindness. And through that, you reminded me of something I’ve always believed: we are at our best when we show up for one another.
This spirit isn’t new; it runs deep in the roots of our city.
More than 150 years ago, General William Jackson Palmer stood on this land and saw possibility where others saw wilderness. He dreamed of a city of innovation, learning, natural beauty, and human flourishing. But he didn’t just dream, he gave. He donated land for parks, schools, churches, and railways. He planted seeds of hope he would never fully see grow.
That is the essence of legacy. As the old proverb goes, “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.” That’s what Palmer and our early pioneers did. And now it’s our turn.
This generation, our generation, has been entrusted with that same responsibility; to plant seeds for a future we may not fully see, but one we deeply believe in. To invest in our youth. To strengthen our neighborhoods. To build a city where every child, every family, every dream has a chance to flourish.
I’ve seen that spirit alive and well this past year. In a southeast pastor turning unused church land into affordable housing. In our first responders braving the cold to serve others. In small business owners who, despite setbacks, keep showing up and reigniting hope on our main streets. In Olympic athletes training at the foot of Pikes Peak. In soldiers returning from service and putting down roots. In students planting trees, volunteers clearing trails, immigrants building their futures, seniors mentoring the next generation, and neighbors sharing meals across fences.
This is who we are. Colorado Springs was born of vision, built through sacrifice, collaboration, and strengthened by every challenge it has faced. And today, we carry that legacy forward, together.
So, on this 154th birthday, let us honor the past, but also invest to meet the future. Let us continue building a city that is safe, economically prosperous, culturally rich, welcoming, and vibrant; a world-class American city on a hill that shines brightly. Happy Birthday, Colorado Springs!
Onward and upward,
Yemi Mobolade
Mayor of Colorado Springs