The Spring part 2

Frank Anderson of Nevada, was one of those arriving the first week after the news began to spread. He stated his first glimpse of the area was picturesque with the white tents gleaming in the summer sunset, while overhead the dark green foliage of the oak trees cast shadows of phantom forms over all those encamped around the spring.

The Park Spring in 1900 after the first improvements

The land upon which this spring is located was owned by N.H. and W.P. Cruce, two young men who lived on a farm several miles northeast of the site. The title to this land had passed from the government directly to the Cruce family and had no value except for pasture land, for which it had been used for a number of years.

After the City of El Dorado Springs was founded it became a city of waters, and water carriers. The Park Spring was the most important of all, with many campers coming to the site to drink the health giving water. The branch into which the spring emptied was called Grind Stone Branch, from the sandstone bed or quarry on it's south side. Early settlers came long distances to get stone squares from this quarry, out of which they made grindstones. A 30 inch square wash basin from this quarry sat near the spring and was used by campers.

A rail fence surrounded the spring to keep out free range hogs and cattle when the Hightowers first camped here in 1879.

A small open Spring house of native wood was built against the hillside, with a platform around the spring. The sign proclaimed "Health is Wealth". Water was dipped directly from the spring, with the overflow running north into the branch.

About 1890 a more formal setting was built, with a high wall of native stone forming the back of a semicircular grotto and steps completing the circle leading down to the level of the grotto.

The Spring in its final location

In 1906 additional work was done on the spring, with an iron pipe carrying spring water underground from its source to the basin replaced by an 18" tile containing a one-inch copper pipe. A "T" was put on the outlet giving a two-spout flow, with Democrats claiming the south spout and Republicans the north. The 1906 date is inscribed into cap rock.

Tests of the spring water proved it to be the equal of such famous Spas as Crowley Springs in Virginia, the Shellback Germany Spa, and the Poncho Spa of Belgium. Shipping of water became a big business in El Dorado Springs, with large demijohns of water shipped all over the world.