Manitou Mineral Springs

Manitou Mineral Springs shaped Manitou Springs, Colorado, from its origins as a mountain health resort to its later identity as Colorado’s first resort town. Fed by both deep underground sources and local surface waters, the springs produce naturally effervescent mineral water whose differing compositions give each spring a distinct taste. Long before town-building, Native peoples including the Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne regarded the springs as sacred places of healing. In the late 19th century, promoters and physicians tied the springs and climate to tourism and tuberculosis treatment, while bottled mineral water and notable spring houses made individual springs famous. Despite later decline, the springs remain central to the town’s geology, history, and character.

Manitou Springs, Colorado · United States