Mineral Springs Foundation
History | Restoration
| Preservation |
Today | Future
| Find Out More
Founded in 1987, the Mineral
Springs Foundation is a non-profit 501C3 organization whose mission is to restore,
protect, and publicize the mineral springs of Manitou Springs and to document their
historic origins. This mission remains intact today, and has been expanded to include
health and spa culture redevelopment. The Mineral Springs Foundation Endowment Fund was
created in 1995 to assure that the springs would be available for the continued enjoyment,
benefit and education of future generations. The Endowment Fund’s goal is $250,000 in
donations. At present, over $70,000 has been raised toward this goal.
HISTORY
The Indians who traveled in this region long ago
considered the land around the springs sacred. The bubbles, or natural carbonation in the
water, represented to them the breath of the Great Spirit "Manitou". With the
westward spread of early settlements and the foresight of individuals like the town’s
founder Dr. William A. Bell, Manitou Springs developed around the mineral springs,
becoming a destination resort for people desiring a health vacation in the "Saratoga
of the West". Visitors arrived with doctors’ prescriptions to drink specific
waters as a cure for their ills.
The 1930’s saw a change in medical treatment.
The drinking of mineral waters was replaced with drugs, synthetic vitamins and minerals.
The country’s economy was also under severe stress. Priorities changed, and the
mineral springs and spas took a back seat to more pressing concerns of the day. Numerous
attempts at restoration have been made over the years, but lack of continued upkeep and
the natural toll that Mother Nature took on the springs left them in disrepair time and
again.
In the mid 1980’s another movement to restore
the springs began to take shape. The year of Manitou Springs’ one hundred tenth
birthday, 1986 to be exact, saw the establishment of a city fund for mineral springs
restoration. In 1987 this effort evolved into the Save The Springs program; predecessor to
the Mineral springs Foundation of today.
During the 1990s the resurgence of the health and
spa culture has been strong. It is believed that mineral rich waters provide a natural
link to healing ailments of the body and soul. Many local organizations and individuals
utilize the waters for the mineral springs in their health regimens.
To date, the Mineral Springs Foundation, in
cooperation with the City of Manitou Springs, private individuals and numerous
organizations have restored a number of the springs to their original splendor. The waters
are available free to the public. People fill cups or jugs from their favorite spring.
Walking tours called "Springsabouts" are held and maps are available for those
who prefer to tour the springs at their own pace.
Heated mineral water bathhouses were common at
the height of the spa culture in Manitou Springs decades ago, and a developmental study is
currently underway in an attempt to bring back these once popular mineral soaking pools. A
new state of the art facility featuring soaking pools and therapeutic service is planned
so that individuals can relax in a peaceful setting reminiscent of days gone by.
To obtain more information about the mineral
springs of Manitou Springs, membership in the Mineral Springs Foundation or planned giving
and tax deductible donations to the Endowment Fund, call or write:
Mineral Springs Foundation
C/O Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce
354 Manitou Avenue
Manitou Springs, CO 80829
(719) 685-5089
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