Manitou Springs Colorado

Visit Manitou Springs Colorado and discover why the American Indians considered it a place of healing. Around a dozen mineral springs are available to the public, each naturally effervescent and refreshing. The picturesque town of just over 5,000 is nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak and provides ample opportunities for hiking or strolling around the historic downtown shops and restaurants.

 

 

The history of Manitou Springs Colorado is forever linked with the springs around which it was founded. Considering the picturesque location of the springs in a forested box canyon at the base of Pikes Peak, it is no wonder the Native Americans considered the location sacred. The eruption of bubbles in the mineral water was considered the breath of the Great Spirit. Dr. Edwin James, member of the Long Expedition of 1820, was not only the first westerner to discover the health-giving mineral waters, but was also the first American to conquer the elusive Pikes Peak.

 

Stories of the mountain and springs inspired General William J. Palmer and Dr. William A. Bell to visit the area in 1868, while on a railroad survey for the Kansas Pacific. Palmer planned to build a railroad from Denver to Mexico and Bell, an English physician, saw the potential of the medicinal springs as the centerpiece for a European-style health resort that would draw passengers to this new venture.

 

The springs of Manitou did attract large numbers of tubercular sufferers in the early years, but the Panic of 1873 limited the success of the venture for most of the decade. Not until a railroad spur was built from Colorado Springs in 1881 did Manitou Springs really thrive. Guests arrived on the Denver and Rio Grande or the Midland Railroad and could take the waters at the many springs or enjoy the many attractions like the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Rainbow Falls, or Cave of the Winds.

 

After decades of stagnation, in the 1970s, Manitou Springs Colorado began to reinvent itself based on its original strengths. The formation of a National Historic District encouraged the restoration of neglected structures and an art colony began to grow in the idyllic setting. The mineral springs, which had been ignored for many years, were renewed by the creation of the Mineral Springs Foundation in 1987. The charming Manitou Springs Colorado of the present owes a great deal to its illustrious past. So, please sample the famous waters, soak in some sunshine, and enjoy Manitou Springs’ historic hospitality.