History
Early Connections Learning Centers is the oldest nonprofit child care organization in Colorado and is recognized statewide as a leader in the field of early childhood education.
In 1897, fourteen visionary women founded the Colorado Springs Day Nursery Association, recognizing the need for child care for working women. One of the founders, Alice Bemis Taylor, donated money to build the Day Nursery to provide a permanent home for the Association. The building was dedicated “to all mothers and all children” in December, 1923. The Day Nursery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Interested in touring the Historic Day Nursery?
Early Connections Learning Centers
The Colorado Springs Day Nursery Association merged with the Child Day Care Center (now Early Connections at Antlers Place) in 1973 and became Child Nursery Centers. A third site, the Gregg Bemis Center, opened in 1974 and was relocated in 1984 to a building shared with the Boys and Girls Club (now Early Connections at South Chelton). Our Sand Creek Center opened in 1995. The Home Network, a partnership with independently-licensed home child care providers began in 2000. School-age sites in Harrison School District Two schools opened in 2008.
Allen Tupper True
Allen Tupper True, 1881-1955, painted the murals in the Day Nursery auditorium. The murals, painted on canvas and adhered to the walls, portray scenes from Mother Goose rhymes.
In 2010, we changed our name to Early Connections Learning Centers. Though it was difficult to part with the history and tradition associated with “Child Nursery Centers,” it had become apparent that we needed a new name that better reflected our broad range of services for children and families.
We take pride in continuing the legacy of our founding mothers in providing high quality, comprehensive early care and education for ALL children.
True was one of a number of American muralists whose work was respected because it contributed to the beauty of public spaces by blending with the architectural elements of a building and was part of larger decorative schemes in architectural spaces. A Colorado native, True completed nearly twenty public mural projects in Denver, including ones in the State Capitol, the City and County Building, and the Civic Center and many private commissions as well. His work can also be found in buildings in other Colorado cities and in Wyoming, Missouri, and Montana.
