Colorado's Natural Mineral Springs
Healing Waters in the Pikes Peak Region of Colorado (USA)
Early settlers were fascinated by Colorado's many mineral springs and their amazing abilities to heal conditions as diverse as tuberculosis and arthritis.
Since ancient times, mineral springs have been recognized for their ability to heal a wide variety of medical conditions, including skin afflictions, infections, respiratory disorders and arthritis. Because of these healing powers, ancient dwellers often considered natural springs sacred or blessed. Consequently, many towns, spas, and resorts have emerged in close proximity to natural springs.
Within a two-hour drive from Colorado Springs (USA), local residents and visitors can visit an abundance of natural springs. At the foot of Pikes Peak, the quaint city of Manitou Springs is known for its two dozen natural springs, many of which have spigots for public access. Nearby Steamboat Springs is known for its famous Strawberry Park hot springs. The well-known honeymoon destination Glenwood Springs boasts of hot vapor caves and thermal spas, while to the south, Poncha Springs and Pagosa Springs have clusters of hot thermal springs that are a special treat to visit in the winter.
Manitou Springs
Manitou Springs has a particularly interesting history. The region that came to be known as Manitou Springs emerged during the same geological uplift that created Pikes Peak. Consequently, the springs in Manitou arise from aquifers that extend deep below ground. The United States first learned of the springs in Manitou with the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon in 1803. When the Pikes Peak region was first explored, the surgeon of the party, Doctor Edwin James, wrote glowingly of the health benefits of the mineral waters.
Daniel Boone’s grandson, Colonel A. G. Boone visiting Manitou Springs in the winter of 1833 as the first cure seeker. Between 1859 and 1868 the region passes through the hands of nearly a dozen different explores. In 1872 the region, which had been called LaFont by its founder Dr. William A. Bell, was renamed Manitou, taken from Longfellow’s poem Hiawatha, by the English investor William Blackmore. The city was laid out like a European spa city and boasted of a large Bath House for taking the cure. The Manitou Springs Spa was one of the country's most popular spas.
With changes in medical treatment and the ability to synthesize various pharmaceutical agents and vitamins, mineral springs declined in popularity in the 1960s. Problems with water sewage treatment in nearby Woodland Park led to contamination of Manitou's natural springs in the 1970s. This problem has since been corrected.
Although the Bath House and Spa closed in the 1970s, this historic building is being resurrected by the Mineral Springs Foundation and plans to reopen by 2009 with state of the art mineral soaking pools. Taps to the natural springs can still found in the area, and a manufacturing company still bottles Manitou Springs’s natural spring water. However, for soaks in the thermal mineral spas, visitors must make the short journey to Steamboat, Glenwood, Pagosa, or Poncha Springs.
What’s in Colorado’s Spring Waters?
Historical records from Manitou Springs describe the Ute, Arapahoe, Cheyenne and Kiowa Native American tribes leaving beads, talismans and other signs of gratitude near the many springs. Records indicate water from the natural springs cured respiratory ailments, including tuberculosis; indigestion; arthritis pain; dry skin; and healed wounds. Prior to the discovery of antibiotics the Pikes Peak region was a well known destination for sufferers of tuberculosis. Most hospitals in the region emerged as tuberculosis sanitariums.
To understand the hidden powers of Colorado's springs, scientists have examined the dissolved solid content of natural spring water to isolate the active ingredients. Early studies indicated that many natural springs absorb minerals from the ground including carbonic acid, which accounts for the bubbles seen in spring water.
Elements found in abundance in Colorado’s natural springs include sulfur, salts, calcium, phosphorus, lithium, silica, radium, and magnesium. In Manitou Springs, concentrations of these elements are often two to three times higher than more familiar watering holes such as Saratoga Springs and Baden-Baden. Natural radium, in particular, proved to be an excellent cure for tuberculosis. Before the discovery of antibiotics, visitors from all over the country came to the many tuberculosis sanitariums that emerged near Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs.
Resources:
- Historic Manitou Springs, Mineral Springs Foundation
- Manitou Springs, Colorado Visitor’s Bureau and Chamber of Commerce
