Lyons Sandstone and the Milheim House

The next stop is just down the street at 1515 Race, which is the Milheim House. While made mostly of brick, it does have some nice sandstone trim.

This sandstone was called Manitou sandstone by builders , but geologists refer to it as Lyons Sandstone. This sandstone was quarried from Red Rock Canyon, which is just south of the Garden of the Gods. The quarry is now part of Colorado Spring Open Space, and you can hike around in the quarry and see where they cut the stone.

Here's a photo I did not take, and found on the web of Lyon Sandstone in Red Rock Canyon.

This layer of sandstone sits above the Fountain Formation, which I will write about later when we get to Roxborough State Park. Lyons Sandstone in the Colorado Springs area is about 176 feet thick, in a ledge that juts out of the ground. The size of the outcrop here allowed builders to cut big pieces for Denver buildings.

The layer was at one time horizontal, but now is almost vertical, as the entire layer was uplifted with Rocky Mountains and bent, in a ductile manner. This limb of a syncline was eroded away at the top, where it sticks out from the ground.

Here are the grains:

Both the Milheim and the Raymond Mansions are near St. Marks Coffeehouse, which I often visit for a fresh pastry.

Directions (from Castle Marne):

Go south on Race.

.2 Milheim on right.