Show IN THESE UNITED STATES Floodlights Now Cast Beam BeamOn BeamOn On Scenic Falls and Canyon features COLORADO SPRINGS COLO Embracing Embracing the grandest mile of scenery in Colorado majestic Seven Falls and picturesque picturesque picturesque esque South Cheyenne Canyon have intrigued visitors to the Pikes Peak region for the past 74 years Their beauties however have been shrouded when nightfall descended but now through completion completion com corn of an electrical engineering feat this major scenic attraction attraction attraction tion of the can be viewed under electric lights The project which makes this Colorado beauty spot the only completely completely completely com com- lighted canyon and waterfall in the world required the use of 80 huge floodlights and more than 1000 small spotlights More than two miles of of- heavy copper rubber insulated insulated insulated cable was installed under under- ground The waterfall which has seven separate falls in hi its foot descent Is lighted by 28 large floodlights with alternating white and color ef ef- ef- ef The crystal clear trout pool at the foot of the falls is lighted by eight underwater lights revealing revealing reveal reveal- ing lug the rainbow trout gliding about in its depths The magnificent weather beaten beat beat- en pink granite walls of the canyon which rise to a height of more than 2000 feet present countless shadow effects as the lights play upon them Various rock formations such as the Setting Turkey Devils Devil's Slide and Wrestling Bears are spotlighted by to 1500 watt lights Majestic pine trees on the banks of the splashing mountain stream are bathed in various colored flood floodlights floodlights floodlights lights while others are sprinkled with colored lights Standing as a sentinel sentinel sen sentinel sen- sen tinel at the entrance of the canyon are the familiar Pillars of Hercules Hercules Hercules Her Her- cules It is at this point that the huge anti-aircraft anti carbon arc light has been installed The big light has eight million candlepower candlepower candlepower candle- candle power and shoots an effective beam five miles in the air The Lonesome Lonesome Lonesome Lone Lone- some Pine Eagles Cliff and other features of interest are caught in its bright path It also will be used to sweep the sky to indicate that Seven Seven Seven Sev Sev- en Falls is now under lights As a final touch a 90 watt sound amplifier system has been installed to play soft music Al G. G Hill Dallas Tex oil man who purchased the 1400 acre scenic attraction June 1 1946 immediately immediate immediate- ly began a program of improvements improvements improvements improve improve- ments which have taken more than thana a year to complete and have cost approximately In addition to the lighting project a stairway of steps has been erected to a spectators' spectators platform on the south southwall vall wall of the canyon from which point all Seven Falls can be seen at one time Part of a mountain slope was removed by bulldozers to provide parking space for cars and a graceful graceful graceful grace grace- ful arch has been erected over the roadway at the mouth of the canyon The Tue canyon approximately one mile in length is a box or dead end type Before the coming coming corning com corn ing of the white man the Indians Indians Indi Indi- ans stampeded herds of buffalo from the plains into the canyon where they then were killed as food was needed The canyon also served as a strategic retreat retreat retreat re re- re- re treat from which the Indians fought oft off their enemies At the top of the falls lies a pIcturesque picturesque pic plc- valley with many small waterfalls and shady rocks A short hike takes the visitor to Inspiration Point which is 1500 feet above the floor of the canyon From this point a breathtaking panorama of mighty cliffs and distant plains is see seen The beauty of Inspiration Point inspired Helen Hunt Jackson to write some of her most famous books and poems and on her death in 1885 her last request was that she b bg bo buried there |