Manitou Springs, Colorado

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Manitou Springs, Colorado

Manitou Springs Manitou Springs is located just 4 miles to the west of Colorado Springs, nestled between Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. With a population of close to 5000, it is a small western town with an interesting history. The same geological uplift that created Pikes Peak also created the deep aquifers that gave rise to the natural springs that are found in the Manitou area. The water from the springs has a high mineral content as well as bubbles. It is the bubbles in the water that made Manitou famous. High levels of carbonic acid cause the bubbles in the water, thus creating the first natural carbonated drink. The French missionaries named the spring “the boiling fountain”. The Ute, Cheyenne and Kiowa Nations all frequented the springs for the water’s medicinal properties. The soda water helped calm the stomach, and had a miraculous effect on dry skin. In the 1870’s the town was named Manitou, from Longfellow’s poem Hiawatha. The town was modeled after a European Spa town. Tubercular patients flocked to the area seeking the clean, dry air.

Over the next 90 years the town saw many changes. Not all of these changes were beneficial to the town. However, in the 1980’s, with the formation of the National Historic District (one of the largest west of the Mississippi), Manitou was restored. The mineral springs are once again accessible, and surrounded by their restored pavilions. Many of the commercial buildings and older homes were restored at the same time, making Manitou Springs a charming place to visit and/or live. The communities of Manitou Springs, Cedar Heights, Cascade, Chipita Park, and Green Mountain Falls composed Manitou Springs School District 14. For more information on Manitou Springs School District visit mssd14.k12.co.us . Top attractions in Manitou Springs include: Pike’s Peak Cog Railway, Santa’s Workshop/North Pole, Cave of the Winds, Manitou Cliff Dwelling, and the Haunted Miramont Castle. Please visit www.kathyflood.com for additional information about this community, and everything you need to buy or sell a home.

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