Once again, while I was looking for something on the internet, I tripped over an article that caught my attention.
Long History
Texas’ many sources of fresh, sweet water have sustained human life for many thousands of years. Ancient Indian artifacts are clustered around freshwater springs in every region of the state and give mute evidence of camp sites used long before Anglo settlers arrived.
No one knows just when America’s Indians first began using mineral waters for bathing and drinking, but as early as the Roman Empire, Europeans indulged in hot mineral baths. The elaborate network of hot mineral-water bathing facilities built by first-century Romans at Bath, England, is one of those early spas.
The owners of a few of Texas’ mineral springs opened them to the public during the 1840s and 1850s; serious commercial development began about 1860. The facilities around Sour Lake in Hardin County, though, were still relatively crude when Sam Houston spent a month there in 1863 taking mineral baths.
Mineral Water in the Alamo City
In 1892 a well was drilled to supply water to the new San Antonio State Hospital on South Presa Street near the San Antonio River. The site was near the saline/fresh water interface of the Edwards Aquifer, where hot, sulfurous wells are common.
Instead of sweet potable Edwards water, the well instead produced 104 degree water with a strong sulfur odor that was unfit for domestic use at the Asylum. The volume was copious – about 180,000 gallons per day, and since many people believed in the healing powers of hot waters, the medicinal and recreational potential of the strong-flowing well was recognized immediately.
Although the San Antonio area had at least three popular mineral-water spas, neither of the others achieved the reputation for luxury of the Hot Wells Hotel and Bath House, which opened in 1900 near San José Mission.
Among the multitude of bathing facilities were three swimming pools, 45 private bathing areas and 200 individual dressing rooms, plus six different kinds of baths. “Taking the waters” was almost an afterthought in the three-story pleasure palace, which quickly became the place to be among San Antonio’s social set.
Besides dances, bowling, swimming, concerts, lectures, tea on the verandah, and domino parties, diversions included an ostrich farm, a small zoo and gambling at the Hot Wells Jockey Club, complete with full-time bookie.
The visiting celebrity list was long and included the likes of Teddy Roosevelt, Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz, Douglas Fairbanks, Rudolph Valentino, Sarah Bernhardt, Will Rogers, Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix.
The Hot Wells’ popularity died off by the early 1920s. The burned ruins of the grand resort still can be seen in southeast San Antonio.
Today
Though the hotel may be gone and the well has been capped, visitors can now stroll through the historic grounds and experience the park – available to the public since its grand opening April 30, 2019.
PARK HOURS
Summer: Open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Winter: Open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
PARK LOCATION
5503 S Presa St
San Antonio, TX 78223
Sources: Texas Almanac.com ... and ... EdwardsAquifer.net … and … Bexar.org