U.S. National Historic District (Downtown)
Location: 38.854994 N, 104.905839 W
Zip Code: 80829
Area Code: 719
Population: 4989 (1990 Census)
Major Industry: Tourism
Major Income Source: Business Taxes; property and income taxes are a very minor source in relation.
City Government:
The local government is a 5 person City Council made up of the mayor (currently Marcy Morrison)and four representatives from various districts about town, who then appoint various positions, such as the City Manager. Elections take place every 4 years.
Notable power blocs within the city are the
Manitou Historical Society, which desires to keep Manitou in a perpetual state of unchangingness, and the business owners, who desire, among other things, greater parking availablity.
Description
The town is, essentially, a strip town with one major avenue (Manitou Ave.) running down the center. This is the effect of the local geography; Manitou was built in a valley, and as such, all the streets running parallel to Manitou Avenue (once within the downtown area) are up on the hill side. Though the town has expanded beyond the valley toward Garden of the Gods, this area is principally residential, with a few businesses scattered about it, and receives little visitation from the tourist masses, except as a place to pass through on the way to the Garden of the Gods. Downtown is, of course, the major business district, and begins one block after Memorial Park ends, as one passes the library going west.
Contained within downtown are businesses, predominantly of the tourist retail/antique persuasion, though there are a (very) few exceptions--a barber shop and a small corner store. There is also a very high density of both restaurants, lodgings, and new-age stores.
It is well to note that, due to the local mineral springs (hence the name), local history, and a rather large influx of hippies during the 70s, Manitou has a rather high new-age draw, and a very large artist concentration. Some (mostly those in near-by Colorado Springs) call Manitou the "Witch" capital of Colorado, though this is rather over doing the matter. (Commentary on this may be found "This American Life" epsiode 77, "Pray", at roughly 22:18. The episode is avalable in Real Audio at