Colorado Voices
What’s the big deal about Manitou’s mineral springs?
Clip | 5m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
Manitou’s namesake water feature has shaped the town geologically, economically and culturally
Manitou Springs' mineral springs are literally a defining feature of the small 5,000 person resort town, where for millennia-old continuously-running streams have fueled local industry, played a role in cultural beliefs and traditions and hydrated curious tasters.
Colorado Voices
What’s the big deal about Manitou’s mineral springs?
Clip | 5m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
Manitou Springs' mineral springs are literally a defining feature of the small 5,000 person resort town, where for millennia-old continuously-running streams have fueled local industry, played a role in cultural beliefs and traditions and hydrated curious tasters.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[water running] The mineral springs, its the soul of our community.
[upbeat music] This is cold!
I can't sing the praises enough.
You can do it!
Yeah!
[cheering] [water gushing} It's one of the few places in the world where actually has natural carbonation to it.
He doesnt have a saddle on him.
The Ute, the Tabaguache, this was an area very important to them.
These springs have all of the elements that make up who we are.
From an economic standpoint, obviously it's a draw.
This is the namesake of our community, and people come here to taste of the waters and share our town with us.
Alright!
[upbeat music] Lets go!
The eight fountains are Seven Minute Spring, Shoshone Spring, Cheyenne Spring, Navajo Spring, Wheeler Spring, Stratton Spring, Twin Spring and Iron Spring.
And there are actually several more springs that are just basically running wild and discharging into Fountain Creek that are on private property, or have been capped and diverted [running water] Way back in the day, 152 years ago when Manitou Springs was founded, there were over 50 springs running wild in the valley.
[chanting] [drum beating] Manitou, as the valley with its natural mineral springs, was very important to the Utes, and the Cheyenne, and the Arapaho and the other tribes.
Then, of course, with the arrival of the settlers in the west, the Manitou springs became a novelty item for tasting and bathing and other activities.
[bubbling] Period science at that time that supported that drinking and consuming mineral water was good for your health.
The appearance of Manitou table water was nationwide.
The distribution of Manitou mineral water and Ute Bottling Works.
It was an industry in its own right.
In fact, I would say that outside of tourism, it was probably the only true industry that ever really existed in Manitou Springs.
And interestingly enough, they also collected the carbon dioxide off of the springs and would bottle it in canisters for commercial use throughout the United States.
Next to me is a large item here.
That was the Ute Gusher Bottle.
It encapsulated the Ute Geyser itself, and was a draw for many years until its demise in 1914, when it was taken down and discarded over a hillside.
[water flowing] The City of Manitou Springs, or the Town of Manitou Springs is a very dramatic box canyon, and right above us to the north is the Williams Canyon limestone remnant.
It is a isolated limestone karst aquifer that, over thousands and thousands of years, has been inundated with surface waters that drive deep into the Earth, and it is deep, deep waters.
What we call the sweet spot is around 280 to 320 ft. down.
Because of the intense pressure and the natural carbonization, and the water that comes out of the font comes out under its own pressure without any sort of mechanical assistance at all.
And that's why it carries those deep rock minerals with it.
Even though their mineral profile is somewhat similar, each one of the springs is a little bit different from each other.
Twin and Wheeler are probably our most middle-of-the-road waters.
Twin is our most favorite.
Its the one that folks love to make lemonade out of.
Wheelers my personal favorite.
Its just great balance, great carbonation, great flavor.
Something like Stratton is a bit more of a punch its gonna feel spicier, or taste spicier.
And then something like Iron Geyser, which Iron Geyers going to have your most mineral content, your most copper, so you're really going to taste that.
Shoshone?
[bottle clinking] I always like to say though everybody's palate is different.
You'd be surprised.
Some folks come and they try one, and they They they don't even taste it at all.
And some folks say they're very sensitive to it.
So I say try them all, find your favorite, come back anytime.
The water's obviously safe for tasting.
We test every month for bacterium, nitrates, a full profile of safety testing as they do with your regular tap water.
Its got, like, a sweetness to it.
And an effervescence to it.
And the water that you taste at the mineral springs fonts is anywhere between 2 and 300 years old, according to studies from the U.S. Geological Survey.
[water gushing] Manitou Springs is a wonderful, small community where things really pick up in the day, and it kind of becomes almost sort of like a, living, breathing, street fair carnival.
And then late at night as things settle down, and it's dark and cool, and you walk through town, and it's quiet, you can literally hear the springs running and spraying throughout the town, and it's really quite something unique and special.
[water flowing]
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