A Brief History of Palmer Lake
Palmer Lake developed around the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, whose inaugural run stopped here in October 1871. Regular passenger service began in January 1872, and steam locomotives replenished their water at the lake near the Palmer Divide summit. Dr. William Finley Thompson arrived in Colorado in 1882 and promoted Palmer Lake as a health and vacation resort. He built Estemere in 1887. The town incorporated in 1889, while the Rocky Mountain Chautauqua, active from 1887 to 1910, brought summer visitors for lectures, music, art and outdoor recreation.