Manitou Springs
| Manitou Springs, Colorado | |
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| Home Rule Municipality | |
City Hall
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| Motto: At the foot of Pikes Peak | |
 Location in El Paso County and the state of Colorado |
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| Coordinates: 38°51′24″N 104°54′36″W / 38.85667°N 104.91000°WCoordinates: 38°51′24″N 104°54′36″W / 38.85667°N 104.91000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | El Paso |
| Incorporated | January 25, 1888 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home Rule Municipality |
| • Mayor | Nicole Nicoletta |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.2 sq mi (8.2 km2) |
| • Land | 3.2 sq mi (8.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,412 ft (1,938 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 4,992 |
| • Density | 1,581/sq mi (610.6/km2) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 80829 |
| Area code(s) | 719 |
| FIPS code | 08-48445 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0193457 |
| Website | www |
The city of Manitou Springs is a home rule municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The town was founded for its scenic setting and natural mineral springs. The downtown area continues to be of interest to travelers, particularly in the summer, as the downtown area consists of many one-story, adjoining, small shops, restaurants, and pubs, as well as a creekside city park with a children's playground made from unusual materials. Among other services, shops cater to tourist interests such as clothing, candy, souvenirs, and outdoor recreation. The main road through the center of town was one of the direct paths to the base of Pikes Peak. Barr Trail, which winds its way up Pikes Peak, is easily accessible from town. The subdivision Crystal Hills was added to the municipality in the 1960s.
The city population was 4,992 at the 2010 United States Census. Students are served by Manitou Springs School District 14 and Manitou Springs High School.
General William Jackson Palmer and Dr. William Abraham Bell founded Manitou Springs in 1872, intending the town to be a "scenic health resort". Dr Bell's home, Briarhurst Manor, is open to the public as a fine dining restaurant, which is listed on the National Register of Historic places. In 1876, the town was incorporated. "Manitou Springs has been the quintessential tourist town since the 1870s, when visitors discovered the healing waters the Ute Indians had been drinking for years. Many of the town's mineral springs still function today and the water is free."
In the 1970s, Woodland Park, 19 miles (31 km) up Ute Pass, built a sewage treatment plant on top of the fault line that forms the pass. As a result, many of the springs were made undrinkable during the bulk of the 1980s, but this has since largely been corrected.
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Wikipedia