Rodent Control in Old Colorado City and the West Side

Old Colorado City is older than Colorado Springs. It was founded in 1859 where Fountain Creek meets Camp Creek, and it wasn't fully folded into Colorado Springs until 1917. Locals call it the West Side. The historic commercial district along Colorado Ave., mainly between 24th and 26th streets, went on the National Register in 1982, and a log cabin from the 1862 territorial legislature still stands on the avenue.

Older buildings and older houses mean older gaps. That's most of what we hear about from the West Side.

Homes that have been settling for a century

Many West Side homes are old, and older houses often have stone or brick foundations, crawl spaces or cellars. Mortar wears out, sill plates shift and decades of new wiring and plumbing leave holes. Mice move in each fall through gaps that weren't there when the house was built.

The fix is trapping plus sealing the foundation and utility gaps. If you've had mice for a while, check the attic and crawl space for droppings and see attic and nest cleanup.

• Open mortar joints in stone or brick foundations
• Old cellar windows and doors
• Pipe and wire holes from past remodels
• Detached garages off alleys

Alleys, creeks and rats

Alleys with trash cans and the creek corridors give Norway rats food, water and cover. Compost bins, chicken coops and bird feeders add more. If you see burrows along a shed or garage slab, see rat control.

Shops on Colorado Ave.

Two-story brick commercial buildings share walls and basements. Restaurants and shops along the avenue should work with landlords on building-wide service, with traps inside and stations outside, and keep dumpster lids closed.

Landmarks and roads: Colorado Ave. · Fountain Creek · Camp Creek · 24th and 26th streets

Nearby areas: Briargate, Rockrimmon, Black Forest, Monument and Tri-Lakes, Falcon and Peyton, Broadmoor and Cheyenne Cañon, Manitou Springs, Fountain, Security-Widefield, Powers and Stetson Hills.