Iron Spring: A Glimpse into Manitou's Mineral Water History

Iron Spring, also known as Iron Spring Geyser, is a historical landmark in Manitou Springs, Colorado, that played a vital role in the town's development as a mineral springs resort. The Manitou area was considered a sacred and healing place by Native Americans long before European Americans settled in the area. They believed that the Great Spirit Manitou created the bubbles, or effervescence, in the spring water, making the springs sacred grounds for drinking and soaking to replenish and heal themselves. In the 1870s, Iron Springs began attracting visitors, particularly to the Ute Iron Springs. In 1910, Joseph G. Hiestand, recognizing the benefits of the iron-rich waters, drilled the Iron Springs Geyser. He fitted the geyser with a hand-blown glass font under a hip-roof style pavilion. The spring was prescribed to patients suffering from iron deficiency. The waters emitting from the mineral springs along Ruxton Creek were known as “The Strongest of Tonics”. Today, Iron Spring stands as a testament to Manitou Springs' history and the enduring allure of its mineral waters. Though the Ute Iron Spring font has been capped and lies beneath the Goldmine Room's floor, the Iron Springs Geyser remains accessible to the general public.