Manitou Springs Historic District
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Manitou Springs Historic District
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700 block of Manitou Avenue in the Manitou Springs Historic District.
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| Location | Manitou Springs, Colorado |
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| Coordinates | 38°51′28″N 104°55′14″W / 38.85778°N 104.92056°WCoordinates: 38°51′28″N 104°55′14″W / 38.85778°N 104.92056°W |
| NRHP Reference # | 83003516 |
| Added to NRHP | 1983 |
Manitou Springs Historic District in Manitou Springs, Colorado is roughly bounded by US 24, Ruxton Avenue, El Paso Boulevard and Iron Mountain Avenue. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it is one of the country's largest National Historic Districts.
Manitou Springs, also called "Saratoga of the West", was established as a resort community, known for its mineral springs and "spectacular setting" at the edge of the Rocky Mountains. The town is bordered by Mt. Manitou to the west, Red Mountain to the south, and Englemann Canyon to the south and west. It is near Garden of the Gods, with the same red stone as Red Mountain, and at the base of Pikes Peak.
Manitou Avenue is the main thoroughfare and location for most of the district's businesses. Some businesses are located on Ruxton Avenue and Canon Street. Residences are located along winding streets on hills that overlook the center of town.
The houses cling to the mountain slopes, sometimes creating a look of stacked boxes. The feeling close-up, on foot, or from a car, is often of a precarious and cramped context. Lacking flat land for lawns, Manitou is a town of decks, porches and stone-walled terraces.
Buildings in the historic district include homes, churches, the public library, hotels and lodges, the town's springs, Rainbow Falls and more. Homes are "picturesque" 19th century Victorian frame houses, Queen Anne homes, cottages, stone High style homes and cabins. Cliff House, with wide verandahs, is one of the historic resort hotels. In the 1870s, a Manitou contracting firm run by the Canadian Gillis Brothers imparted a "fundamentally British" flair to the Queen Anne cottages and the houses that they had built. Their cottages were replicas of Victorian houses on a smaller scale. Their projects included Miramont Castle, the Congregational Church and Leddy Block.
Manitou Springs maintains much of its 19th-century appearance due to its geographic location and the town's strong preservation efforts. The town developed within a tight valley surrounded by hillsides that are developed to their potential; There is no room for expansion. In addition, the town optimizes preservation of historical buildings. To a large extent, the 19th century homes and hotels are prevalent, although many have been renovated or expanded. Changes since the 19th century include loss of some commercial buildings and accommodation of automobile traffic and parking.
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