A Historical piece of Broadmoor Past

The Broadmoor steak fry's of days gone by. These steak fry's were once held in the mountains near the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs and they were a hit with Hotel guests.

The Broadmoor campfires sparkled and danced in the evening hours during the 1960s and 1970s and lit up the blue skies near the Cheyenne Mtn Zoo and the Broadmoor Ski resort.

One of the first popularized history campaign that Spenser Penrose founder of the Broadmoor Hotel, used frequently in the 1920's, stressed the unique panorama of the diverse setting of a grand luxury hotel in the middle of the "Wild" West. Some of the most rustic events over the years include the campfire steak fry's.

These campfires bring back so many wonderful memories. Marvin Schaal was one of the employees who worked these campfires. He enjoyed them immensely. Marvin worked at the Broadmoor Hotel for many years before he died in 1998, manning the campfires and helping entertain the guests. He was very familiar with the Broadmoor and his experiences included working on the railways leading to the top of Pikes Peak, tending the horse stables at the Broadmoor and as a receiving clerk at the Hotel. The stories that he shared were full of fun and excitement and the most memorable ones were of his adventures around the campfires at the Broadmoor. These steak BBQ's were set up under the deep blue skies in the beautiful Colorado Mountains near the Broadmoor Hotel. Employees of this Chuck wagon would dress the part of either cowboy or Native American Indian as they entertained arm in arm catering to packed audiences around the campfire.

Recently, we came across a few old photos of Marvin dressed in his attire from these famous campfires. We would love to hear about your memories or experiences from those campfires near the Broadmoor Hotel. Hopefully this photo sparks your memory and you have the time to respond with your experiences. I'd love to hear your story.

Noted sources include - Ms. Lillian Schaal, widow of Marvin Schaal, The Saturday Evening Post, Broadmoor memories by Elena Bertozzi Villa, and The Broadmoor Story by Helen Geiger 1985