BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC Gated 1917 Otis Traction Elevator at The Pioneer Museum in Colorado Springs, CO

Filmed in October 2020.

First and foremost, I would like to wish everyone a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
I know this has been a pretty difficult year, and many won't be seeing their families this Thanksgiving whether it be because members have passed away or due to restrictions. Just know that I'm praying for you and your family and hoping for the best.

The thing is though, this year isn't about getting what we want, it's about being thankful for what we have and are able to do, and I have to say, I'm VERY THANKFUL I was able to make it to Colorado this year! Even if it's not the most exciting place I've ever been to, I'm very thankful to have been able to come to Colorado, as I didn't think I'd be going anywhere this year thanks to the pandemic!

One of the BEST Things I saw during this trip that I am VERY THANKFUL to have ridden and filmed is this AMAZING, ALMOST TOTALLY ORIGINAL, GATED 103 YEAR OLD Birdcaged Otis Elevator!!!
Located at the Pioneer Museum, originally the El Paso County Courthouse, built in 1903, this elevator was added in 1917.

As stated this thing is ALMOST Totally Original, the controller was replaced to convert this thing into an Automatic elevator (it was originally manual!), Otis Black Button Call stations and COP were added, and the gate was motorized likely in the 1950s or 60s, but aside from that, this thing still retains almost all of it's original charm such as it's ORIGINAL DC Winding Drum Traction Motor, Birdcaged Cab & Shaft and it's Manual Sliding Doors!!! What I ESPECIALLY LOVE though is that even though this elevator was converted into an Automatic Elevator, they kept the Manual Crank and Annunciator intact as well (even though they no longer work), even though there is no longer a need for them!!!

All in all, this is a PERFECT Example of HOW to TASTEFULLY Modernize an Elevator without ruining it's Historical Charm or Significance, and on top of that, the Modernization is STILL VINTAGE!!! (It's AT LEAST 50 YEARS OLD!)

All I have to say is this is BY FAR one of the Most Tasteful Modernizations I've EVER seen, this thing is STILL VERY ORIGINAL, HISTORICAL and ANTIQUATED, and the Museum is proud of this elevator and has kept this thing in AMAZING Condition continuously for MANY DECADES ever since the building became a Museum in 1979, and I hope it remains this way for many more years to come!!!

Without much else to say, I wish you all a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING, and enjoy some rides on this AMAZING, HISTORIC GATED Otis Elevator that was very tastefully Modernized with Otis Black Buttons, One of the MOST TASTEFUL Modernizations I've EVER seen in my LIFE!!!!

Installed in 1917. (Manually Controlled Gated Birdcaged Otis)

Modernized in Circa 1950s or 1960s. (Controller was replaced with a New Automatic elevator controller, Otis Black Button COP and Call Stations were added, and Gate was motorized, but otherwise left as is!)