Smith 1886 and Davis Blocks 1887

The Smith (102 Canon Avenue) and Davis Blocks (10 Canon Avenue) are across the street from each other, with the Smith Block housing the Commonwheel Artists Co-Op gallery and the Davis Block housing the Rockey Art Museum. The Davis Block was Charles Rockey's residence and studio for many years. The Davis Block can be seen in the image of the Jerome Wheeler Town Clock.

Leander Smith and Dr. Isaac Davis both came to Manitou for their health, set up successful businesses, and built their neighboring buildings within a year of each other in 1886 and 1887.

SMITH BLOCK (102 Canon Avenue) – Leander Smith built the brick and Manitou White sandstone building on the northeast comer of Lafayette Road and Canon Avenue in 1886. He wished to relocate his grocery business from the south side of Manitou Avenue. Smith came to the region in the late 1870s for his health and stayed. Allegedly, Smith’s wealthy father was unhappy about the building’s location in the floodplain and threatened to disinherit his son for poor judgment. The Smith Block was electrified and wired for telephone in 1887. In the late 1880’s, Anna Chamberlain, one of the first female dentists in the area, leased an office in the building. Watermarks from Manitou’s 1927 flood are still visible inside the original butcher shop, which was accessed from the back of the building by way of a bridge across Fountain Creek. The butcher shop is now an artist studio. The Smith Block remained a grocery store for years and was operated by A.M. Wilson, Raymond Hiligoss, and Guy S. Boyd, among others. The Commonwheel Artists Co-op has been in this location since it’s founding in 1978.

DAVIS BLOCK (10 Canon Avenue) – Dr. Isaac Davis built this three-story building on the southeast corner of Lafayette Road and Canon Avenue in 1887 to house his pharmacy. He was born in Somersetshire, England and fought in the Crimean War before coming to America. After being wounded in the Civil War fighting for the Union, Davis went to medical school in Pennsylvania. He practiced in Brooklyn, New York, before homesteading a 160 acre tract south of Manitou Springs.

Inside his building, Davis installed an impressive soda fountain by John Matthews of New York. The building was wired for electricity aid telephone in 1887, and in April 1889, a Western Union Telegraph Office was added. Davis was one of Manitou’s first physicians and County Coroner for many years before his death in 1891. The Davis Block continued to house drug stores under several successive owners.

Historic Manitou Springs, Inc., is an educational non-profit based in Manitou Springs, Colorado, at the foot of Pikes Peak which operates the Manitou Springs Heritage Center and was formed in 1997 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Our mission is to collect, preserve, research, and interpret the history and culture of Manitou Springs and the Pikes Peak Region.

The intent of the organization is to educate citizens and visitors in order to increase appreciation and understanding of this unique community. Before opening the Center Historic Manitou was operated by a board of three persons–Jean Garrity, Deborah Harrison, and Michelle Anthony. During the initial 10 years, we developed a track record of participating in and supporting community projects and events, such as restoration of the Eastern Gateway Arch, rehabilitation of Mansions Park, installation of over 30 Historic Interpretive Plaques throughout town, and placement of the memorial in Crystal Valley Cemetery for Emma Crawford. We have presented the “Ghost Stories of Old Manitou” haunted walking tours as part of the Annual Emma Crawford Festival (i.e., the events surrounding the Coffin Races) since its inception.

Rocky Art Museum. Accessed January 5th 2022. https://www.rockeyartmuseum.org/an-historic-building.