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Hi %FIRSTNAME%,

I know you're getting ready for turkey day, so today, I've got a story for you.

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Crypto and LLMs gobble up enormous amounts of electricity.

To keep up, innovation in nuclear and renewable power is moving forward faster than ever.

This push for cheaper, more abundant power might soon lead us to a future where electricity is free for everyone.

But what if free electricity had been achieved 100 years ago?

In 1899, Nikola Tesla arrived in Colorado Springs with an ambitious vision: to deliver free, wireless energy to the world.

While his experiments showed great promise, they fell short of changing the world as he had hoped.

But what if he had succeeded?

On retreat a couple weeks ago in the Springs, I talked to some guys about Tesla’s lab – located just down the road from us.

I realized quickly that I didn’t know much of what he was up to. I thought I’d change that, and I thought I’d share that research here. 

Nikola Tesla’s Time in Colorado Springs

Nikola Tesla’s time in Colorado Springs, from May 1899 to early 1900, represents one of the most ambitious periods of his life.

Tesla came to Colorado with bold ideas about wireless energy transmission, an almost mystical faith in the possibilities of electricity, and the financial backing of wealthy investors.

However, his brief stay of around seven months was marked by groundbreaking experiments, mounting expenses, and a bitter end that reflected the tension between Tesla’s grand vision and the economic realities of his era.

Love him or hate him, Elon Musk shares a key similarity with Nikola Tesla: both possess extraordinarily bold visions for the world.

Moreover, they demonstrate an exceptional ability to execute their ideas, to shape the world according to their ambitions.

Why Tesla Came to Colorado Springs

By the late 1890s, Tesla had already earned a reputation as an electrical genius, with inventions like the Tesla coil and contributions to alternating current (AC) systems securing his place in history.

However, Tesla’s focus had shifted to wireless energy transmission, an idea he believed could revolutionize the world by providing free and unlimited power to everyone.

Colorado Springs was an ideal location for his experiments. Its high altitude, low population density, and frequent thunderstorms offered a natural laboratory for studying electrical phenomena.

The El Paso Power Company even provided Tesla with free electricity for his experiments, recognizing the prestige his presence could bring to the city.

Tesla arrived in Colorado Springs in May 1899 with a $30,000 investment (equivalent to roughly $1 million today) from financier John Jacob Astor IV.

Almost immediately after writing the check, Astor got cold feet.

Seven months into Tesla’s project, Astor pulled his financing.

Tesla’s relationship with Astor likely soured due to a fundamental misalignment in their priorities. 

While Astor expected lucrative returns, Tesla’s ambitions were far less grounded in profit. 

His focus was on advancing humanity, which is noble but lacked immediate commercial viability.

But Tesla was notorious for overextended resources without clear financial outcomes.

It’s hard to understand Astor’s frustrations.

He propped Tesla up with 7 months of runway and then completely abandoned him?

Doesn’t make sense – it sounds fishy. 

Tesla’s Experiments and Achievements

During his stay, Tesla constructed a laboratory on Knob Hill, equipped with a 200-foot mast and a 3-foot copper ball at its peak.

This property is oddly blurred out on Google Maps > 1326 E Kiowa St.

The laboratory crowned with a 200-foot mast topped by a three-foot copper ball housed a massive Tesla coil capable of generating millions of volts.

Here, Tesla conducted experiments that pushed the boundaries of electrical engineering.

One of Tesla’s most famous demonstrations involved producing artificial lightning.

He reportedly generated sparks over 135 feet long, causing a blackout in Colorado Springs when his experiments overloaded the city’s power plant.

Tesla also claimed to have detected signals from outer space, which he interpreted as potential alien communications.

And Tesla’s best friend was a pigeon, so there’s also that. 

Despite the excitement surrounding these experiments, Tesla’s financial situation deteriorated rapidly.

The cost of his research far exceeded his initial funding.

Why Tesla Left Colorado Springs

By January 1900, Tesla had exhausted his funds.

And the story goes that Astor, disappointed by the lack of tangible results, refused to provide additional funding.

Again, you’re telling me Astor is a little bummed out that he didn’t see a return in seven months? C’mon man.

They had to build the lab by hand! They didn’t have power tools!?!

Nonetheless, Tesla’s creditors in Colorado Springs began to demand payment, and he faced lawsuits over unpaid bills.

Astor bailed on him and nobody stepped in, in his place. And I mean nobody.

Not J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Charles M. Schwab, or Andrew Carnegie.

These guys were some of the most ambitious industrial entrepreneurs of all time.

None of them saw the potential in Tesla’s long play? 

I think they did. 

But a world full of free electricity didn’t align with their incentives. 

The fix was in.

In my imagination, Astor received a quil-inked letter from the big boys back east explaining that Tesla was to be abandoned in no uncertain terms.

Sigh. Major bummer.

Tesla dismantled his laboratory and returned to New York City, leaving Colorado Springs with mixed feelings.

On the one hand, his experiments had advanced his understanding of wireless energy and electromagnetic waves.

On the other, his inability to produce practical applications or secure additional financing left his vision unfulfilled.

The Financial Fallout

Tesla’s time in Colorado Springs cost him more than just money.

It marked the beginning of a financial decline that would plague him for the rest of his life.

His $30,000 budget had been entirely consumed, and he left the city in debt.

The laboratory, abandoned and unpaid for, was eventually torn down to satisfy creditors.

Tesla’s departure from Colorado Springs reflected the broader challenge he faced throughout his career: balancing visionary ideas with the financial demands of practical implementation.

Clearly, the notion of free, unlimited energy would have threatened powerful industrialists and utility companies.

And experiments with artificial lightning and weather control might have faced public and governmental backlash due to safety concerns. 

Rumor had it that the aliens wanted Tesla out as well. 

Tesla’s Colorado Springs chapter serves as a “what if” moment in history.

What if Tesla was more like Elon? 

What if Astor had the balls to stand up to the fat cats in NYC? 

What if Colorado Springs became the technological epicenter of the World? 

 – We’ll never know.

Nikola Tesla came to the city with grand ambitions, spent a fortune pursuing his dreams, and left in financial ruin.

Yet, the experiments he conducted during those seven months have resonated through history, influencing fields as diverse as telecommunications, renewable energy, space exploration, and whatever else Elon has planned with DOGE.

Takeaway

Tesla’s story serves as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale.

His time in Colorado Springs showcases the power of visionary thinking and groundbreaking experimentation, but it also underscores the importance of balancing ambition with practical execution.

Tesla’s inability to demonstrate immediate returns on investment strained relationships with key backers like John Jacob Astor IV, ultimately leaving many of his ideas unrealized.

For innovators and entrepreneurs, his journey is a reminder that even the boldest visions require careful financial stewardship and strong, lasting partnerships.

Colorado Springs remains a testament to Tesla’s enduring legacy: a reminder that even the most visionary ideas require practical support to succeed.

Or at least some alien homies in your corner.