Folks in Black Forest are proud of the unique, unincorporated community north of Colorado Springs where they live. It’s 100 square miles of hills, Ponderosa pines and meadows.

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Some are so proud the Black Forest History Committee put together a DVD, booklet and map of the Forest and its history.

I found it fascinating. Of course, it starts with Gen. William Jackson Palmer, the entrepreneur who came here after the Civil War, built Colorado Springs, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and just about everything else around.

Of course, his growing town and railroad needed lumber so, in 1870, he bought 43,000 acres in the Forest and started chopping down trees. Soon, there were 16 sawmills turning pines in railroad ties and construction materials.

Before they were through, the original forest was wiped out.

When the loggers left, pioneers remained and started building their community.

That’s where the DVD really gets interesting. When it starts talking about the people who stayed and the changes the area went through before it became one big suburb.

For example, it tells about Oliver Shoup, a sawmill executive who ended up governor of Colorado. A main east-west road is named in his honor.

There’s a story of the black, tufted-ear Abert squirrels seen commonly in the forest.

Did you know fox were raised in the Forest, until a U.S. trade agreement with Russia flooded the market with cheap furs and the industry collapsed? The exotic fox raised here were simply turned loose. They mated and produced some of the odd-color fox now seen in the region.

You’ll also learn about the people who settled in Black Forest and helped make it the place it is today such as beloved teacher Edith Wolford.

And then there are the photos, like those on this page. There is a story behind each.

The DVDs are $15. If you want to buy the one, contact Tery Stokka, of the history committee, at 495-0895 or email him at tstokka@juno.com. Proceeds support the committee and the Black Forest Community Center.

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