Healing Waters

Manitou's mineral springs have been valued for their healthful benefits throughout history. For centuries, Native peoples revered the effervescent waters and used the mineral water to calm stomachs, soothe skin problems, and as a tonic for other ailments. In the Victorian era, when diseases like tuberculosis were rampant, spas and health resorts became popular as places where people could escape the cities and seek fresh air and curative waters. In 1871, General William J. Palmer and Dr. William A. Bell founded Manitou Springs to attract those seeking "The Cure" to their new European-style health resort. Each spring had different amounts of mineral content and natural carbonation and was prescribed by doctors for ailments such as liver and kidney disease and digestive disorders. Shoshone Spring was protected by a fence to keep out animals attracted to the salt, and the Manitou Mineral Water Bath & Park Co. built bottling works and a Queen Anne-style bathhouse behind the spring.

Manitou Springs, Colorado · United States