As we parked at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo I noticed a tower about another 1,000 feet up the mountain. The zoo map mentioned that if you wanted to go to the shrine you'd have to drive. No pedestrian traffic allowed. So after feeding the giraffes, and budgies, finding the mountain goats, marvelling at the mountain lions, oogling the orangutans, and laughing at the merkats, we decided to head up."What's a shrine?" asked one of the little ones, as we drove the scenic road up the mountain.
"A memorial," I said. "Usually religious, but not always." I, of course, was sure this was an abbey or convent sort of place. But I was wrong.
It is the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. A beautiful structure, with rooms full of photographs, quotes, and letters of Mr. Rogers. (This image is of one of the windows that you walk by as you climb the five flights of stairs inside the tower.)
Prior to visiting the shrine I knew very little about Will Rogers. After visiting, I know a little bit more. But the more I know taught me that he was quite the entertainer and even more so the outspoken humanitarian.
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