Manitou Bathhouse

Manitou Bathhouse (Manitou Spa)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	934 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs, Colorado
Coordinates	38°51′34.45″N 104°55′5.68″W / 38.8595694°N 104.9182444°WCoordinates: 38°51′34.45″N 104°55′5.68″W / 38.8595694°N 104.9182444°W
Architectural style	Mission and Spanish Revival
NRHP Reference #	79000608
Added to NRHP	1979[1]

Manitou Bathhouse or Manitou Spa is a historic building located along Fountain Creek in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Once used as a mineral water bathhouse or spa, the building now used for stores and other businesses on the first floor. The second and third floors hold residential units. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.^[2] Located in the building is Adam's Mountain Cafe.^[3][4]

Manitou Spa building is located near several natural mineral springs and within the building is the Soda Spring. The spa was the "town's social center" in the early 1900s.^[5]

The building, constructed in 1920^[4] or 1921, served infirm and healthy people.^[6][7] One of the resources in the Save America's Treasures project, the hotel and spa resort building retains its original marble floors, bar and murals. Before it was renovated in 2005, it was vacant due to flooding and disrepair.^[4]

The original bathhouse was built in 1882 to 1883 and was torn down in 1923,^[8] or in 1921. Visitors to the bathhouse could bathe in a cool plunge pool, relax in hot mineral water baths, visit the physician or relax in one of the reading rooms.^[9]

Gallery

• 
  The side of the Spa, with bridge over Fountain Creek
• 
  Manitou Mineral Water Bottling Plant (left) and Manitou Bathhouse (right), photograph taken in early 1890s

See also

• Manitou Springs Historic District
• List of Manitou Springs Historic District buildings

References

1. National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
2. National Register of Historic Places in El Paso County, Colorado. American Dreams. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
3. Duval; Banks; Laurence Parent (14 June 2011). Insiders' Guideо to Colorado Springs. Globe Pequot Press. pp. 72–73. ISBN 978-0-7627-6936-0. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
4. "Manitou Springs Spa". Colorado Preservation, Inc. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
5. Judith C. Galas; Cindy West (1 July 1997). Walking Colorado Springs. FALCON PressPUB Company. p. 176. ISBN 978-1-56044-535-7. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
6. Enterprise & Innovation in the Pikes Peak Region. Pikes Peak Library District. 18 March 2011. p. 298. ISBN 978-1-56735-302-0. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
7. The Earth ... Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company. 1921. p. 7. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
8. "Historic Structures Assessment Report" (PDF). Atkinson-Nolan and Associates and the Collaborative, inc. for The City of Manitou Springs. pp. 9–10. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
9. Deborah Harrison; The Manitou Springs Heritage Center (29 October 2012). Manitou Springs. Arcadia Publishing. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7385-9596-2. Retrieved May 19, 2013.