Manitou "Springs"

While we are on the subject of the mineral springs of Manitou, I thought it would be fun for you to know another interesting fact.  First of all, manitou is "A name given by tribes of American Indians to a great spirit, whether good or evil, or to any object of worship" or  as mentioned by Longfellow in 1913, "Manito the mighty, The Great Spirit, the creator, Smiled upon his helpless children! "

Let's travel back in time.  We are now in the place soon to be named Manitou Springs, when the Ute people made a yearly trek down the mountain (Ute Pass) to visit the "Great Spirit".  It was believed that he lived underground.  His breath was the bubbling springs, and if you drank from his breath, the steam from the earth, you would be gifted with good health.  Keep in mind that this was way before Emma Crawford and all of the bath houses were built in town. 

"The source of these famous waters lays deep underground in a system of cavernous aquifers. As the ancient water erodes the surrounding limestone, carbonic acid is created which gives Manitou’s springs their special effervescence. This natural carbonation forces the water back to surface through cracks in the rocks, where it absorbs high concentrations of sodium bicarbonate (soda) and other healthy minerals."  "Manitou Springs homepage"

Early explorers actually found offerings of beads, knives, moccasins, wampum, pieces of red cloth and deerskin around the springs in hopes of good health, luck in hunting and battles fought with neighboring tribes. (Jan Pettit- History of Ute Pass).

As I child, I remember visiting the Navajo Chief Spring.  The gas coming from the bursting bubbles was powerful.  If you breathed it in, it would make you dizzy and light-headed.  I remember a child who died there, drowned when overcome by the vapors.  They eventually blocked if off to keep kids from hanging out and falling in.