Deborah Harrison

Manitou Springs (Co) (Images of America) Deborah Harrison

Hidden between the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak lies the magical town of Manitou Springs. Drawn to the healing waters of its numerous mineral springs, the Ute, Cheyenne, and other native tribes once considered the area sacred. As more and more Europeans traveled to the area, the city of Manitou Springs was established as a health resort and visited by thousands, from vacationing families and wealthy celebrities to tubercular patients and medical professionals. Through the years the city faced the challenges of changing tourism patterns, but the formation of a national historic district in the 1980s launched the restoration and renewal of many of the city's most cherished buildings and traditions, reminding both residents and visitors alike of the charm Manitou Springs has always offered.