Cardwell – Smith
Springs ~ ca 1877
Cardwell-Smith Springs was located approximately 11 miles northwest of Luling,
in the general vicinity of present day Mineral Springs Baptist Church. The
medicinal effects of the waters of Cardwell Springs were mentioned in Galveston
newspapers in 1877 with a reported 30 boarders in its hotel and as many more
campers. The springs were described as being in a picturesque area, with clear,
sparkling waters. While visitors believed in the curative powers of the water,
the taste was frequently characterized as strong, harsh and unpleasant. The
springs later became known as Rogers’ Springs. Although it would seem that two
resorts as close as Cardwell Springs and Burditt’s Wells, less than ten miles
away, might have difficulty in surviving, both spas operated well past the turn
of the twentieth century. Eventually though, the businesses closed and the
buildings slowly collapsed.
Sources
1. Galveston Daily News, February 10, 1877
2. Springs of Texas, by Gunnar M. Brune, p. 103
3. Southern and Western Texas Guide for 1878, by James L. Rock and W. I. Smith,
p. 56
4. Taking the Waters in Texas: springs, spas, and fountains of youth, by Janet
Dalenza, p. 99
The Plum Creek Almanac is a project of
The Genealogical and Historical Society of Caldwell County
The Genealogical and Historical Society
of Caldwell County Copyright
© 1963
Updated
10/14/2019
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