History Manitou Mineral Springs

navajo , manitou springs, colorado, robert n. dennis collection of stereoscopic views



valley of springs ute came hunt , take mineral springs. center of photograph shows lone encampment of ute native americans, between 1874 , 1879.



soda spring, 1870

the town has several mineral springs, called manitou breath of great spirit manitou believed have created bubbles, or effervescence , in spring water. springs considered sacred grounds native americans drank , soaked in mineral water replenish , heal themselves. ute, arapaho, cheyenne , other plains tribes came area, spent winters there, , share[d] in gifts of waters without worry of conflict. there 9 or 10 natural springs. whites moved in there skirmishes access historical resort area until native americans removed area , placed on reservations.

explorer stephen harriman long made note of water s healing properties in 1820. expedition s botanist , geologist, edwin james, noted healing benefits of water; first european man believed have climbed pikes peak. george frederick ruxton wrote of boiling waters in book travels. recognizing extent native americans considered site sacred, ruxton wrote: …the basin of spring (at manitou) filled beads , wampum, , pieces of red cloth , knives, while surrounding trees hung strips of deer skin, cloth , moccosons (sic).

forty-eight years later, plan health resort developed dr. william abraham bell , william jackson palmer, general during civil war: had vision of dreamy summer villas nestled in mountains, grand hotels , landscaped parks clustered around springs. railroad transportation brought people area, first called fountain colony , la font. town wasn t built @ envisioned 2 men, storefronts , homes built in town. became first resort town in state.

in 1873 henry mcallister, developer working palmer, touted medicinal benefits of springs , manitou springs had necessary components of successful spa resort, including incomparable climate , scenery .

medical practitioners, such dr. edwin solly, promoted health benefits of pure air , sunny rocky mountain climate world s best suited therapeutic environment treatment of tuberculosis. believed in benefits of mineral spring water drew tourists , infirm, particularly people tuberculosis, area. springs enclosed town grew. 1 of enclosures, in red sandstone , under conical roofed structure , cheyenne spring house. there more 50 drilled wells , springs after turn of century. since then, more enclosed. after period when town s popularity diminished, springs closed, capped or paved over. mineral springs foundation formed in 1987 restore of springs , promote benefits of town s spring water. walking tours of town s springs called springabouts .

manitou springs water sold worldwide .

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