In 1901 this lavish, Italian Renaissance-style hotel opened its doors to the public, replacing the former hotel of the same name that had burned to the ground three years earlier. The original hotel, built in 1883 by Gen. William Jackson Palmer, was a charming structure well suited to serve the small town of 5,000 people. By 1901, however, the population had quadrupled, and Palmer vowed to replace the hotel with an even grander Antlers to accommodate a more elite clientele. This strikingly beautiful building reigned over the city until it was joined in esteem by the Broadmoor Hotel, built in 1918.

The Antlers continued as one of the most attractive and graceful structures in the entire state, renowned for its exquisite furnishings, cuisine, scenery, and service. (It is said that the waiters and service staff spoke at least three languages.) In 1956, the seven-story, 250-room Antlers was refurbished by new owners of the hotel, but they sold the building in 1964, and it was razed to make way for a modern hotel, complete with new shops and parking.

• Colorado Springs, El Paso County

• Date of Construction: 1901

• Architects: Ernest Phillip Varian and Frederick Junius Sterner

• Date of Demolition: 1964

• Replaced by: New Antlers Plaza Hotel