Springs Near Rogers
By Randy McCrory
From the 1880s into the early 1900s much of our area tourism was based around the springs in the area. It was said that the waters locally could cure just about anything that was ailing you. While most of us today would think this was voodoo medicine, it wasn’t totally inaccurate. Without the purification methods we have today, many places had bad water. When people came here and drank clear spring water, many started to feel much better. In the early 1900s when modern medicine was starting to come into the picture, springs were no longer the big draw that they had been previously. Here’s a look at many of these springs located near Rogers.
Esculapia Spring (sometimes referred to as Esculapian Spring) – This was a spring around which a town popped up in 1880. It was believed to be named after the Greek god Aesculapius who was said to have founded all medical practices. The water had been analyzed and had about the same properties as the water of Eureka Springs. By May of 1880 hundreds of people were flocking to the spring which sits about 10 miles east of Rogers. A town was laid out and several buildings were constructed, but when the railroad came through Rogers in 1881 the town disappeared as quickly as it came.
Electric Springs – This spring was located 1.1 miles from the corner of North 2nd Street and Locust, heading east out of Rogers on Highway 12. When the railroad was being built through Rogers, it’s said that the railroad workers used to come and get water from these springs. A story has been told that if you held a knife blade under the water of the spring it would become magnetic. The community of Electric Springs was laid out in September of 1881, about the same time that Rogers became a town. Most of these lots, had they been developed, would have been located where Lake Atalanta is located today. The Frisco saw the potential of bringing tourists to the town, and in 1888 built a large hotel. In 1901 a stone retaining wall was built around the three springs. Another hotel called the Cottage Hotel opened in 1903. Soon afterwards, in 1905, the hotel became Electric Springs Sanatorium, where so-called “scientific treatments” were administered. Over time the hotels were abandoned and taken over by squatters. During World War 2, building material was scarce, so in 1941 the old hotel was sold for salvage. Today the community is all gone except the remains of the old stone frame where the springs used to run. Close to Electric Springs were two other springs called Moss Springs and Rock Spring.
By Randy McCrory
From the 1880s into the early 1900s much of our area tourism was based around the springs in the area. It was said that the waters locally could cure just about anything that was ailing you. While most of us today would think this was voodoo medicine, it wasn’t totally inaccurate. Without the purification methods we have today, many places had bad water. When people came here and drank clear spring water, many started to feel much better. In the early 1900s when modern medicine was starting to come into the picture, springs were no longer the big draw that they had been previously. Here’s a look at many of these springs located near Rogers.
Esculapia Spring (sometimes referred to as Esculapian Spring) – This was a spring around which a town popped up in 1880. It was believed to be named after the Greek god Aesculapius who was said to have founded all medical practices. The water had been analyzed and had about the same properties as the water of Eureka Springs. By May of 1880 hundreds of people were flocking to the spring which sits about 10 miles east of Rogers. A town was laid out and several buildings were constructed, but when the railroad came through Rogers in 1881 the town disappeared as quickly as it came.
Electric Springs – This spring was located 1.1 miles from the corner of North 2nd Street and Locust, heading east out of Rogers on Highway 12. When the railroad was being built through Rogers, it’s said that the railroad workers used to come and get water from these springs. A story has been told that if you held a knife blade under the water of the spring it would become magnetic. The community of Electric Springs was laid out in September of 1881, about the same time that Rogers became a town. Most of these lots, had they been developed, would have been located where Lake Atalanta is located today. The Frisco saw the potential of bringing tourists to the town, and in 1888 built a large hotel. In 1901 a stone retaining wall was built around the three springs. Another hotel called the Cottage Hotel opened in 1903. Soon afterwards, in 1905, the hotel became Electric Springs Sanatorium, where so-called “scientific treatments” were administered. Over time the hotels were abandoned and taken over by squatters. During World War 2, building material was scarce, so in 1941 the old hotel was sold for salvage. Today the community is all gone except the remains of the old stone frame where the springs used to run. Close to Electric Springs were two other springs called Moss Springs and Rock Spring.
This is an early image of Electric Springs locate about a mile to the right on Highway 12 from Second Street as you are leaving town. It was believed at the time each spring would help cure a different illness. You can still see this structure back in the woods as you drive out Highway 12.
Callahan Spring – Was believed to have been near the old Callahan Station stagecoach stop. The station would have been located near where the Office of Human Concern is located today on East Spruce Street. It was part of the Butterfield Stagecoach line until the Civil War. The stage stop was a place to change and water horses and grab a bit to eat. Callahan Station was burned by Sigel’s army during the Civil War. Callahan’s Spring is apparently in the valley below the old station, and water was pumped up the hill by hydraulic rams.
Diamond Spring – Is located in Lake Atalanta Park and can still be seen today. Around 1888, Diamond Spring became the water source for Rogers. The water from the spring was proclaimed to “taste so good.” Water was pumped from the spring to a brick water tower on East Walnut at Spring Street. On July 1, 1900, a new steel water tower with a 100,000-gallon capacity was completed. About a week later the old brick tower was blown up. In 1905, there was much talk about a new summer resort to be built at Diamond Spring. The project was to be funded by W. R. Felker, a local Rogers banker. At that time, it was proposed to build a dam and create a lake. The main draws would be boating and fishing. As we know, this did not happen at that time. In 1907, a group bought the valley above the spring to put in a sanitarium for people with consumption. This also never came to fruition. Up until 1915, water was pumped directly from the spring into the water tower without any type of treatment. That year there brought a typhoid epidemic which caused several deaths in Rogers. The state ordered Rogers to install the proper equipment to ensure the water in Rogers was safe to drink. Finally, in 1938 the WPA installed a dam and created Lake Atalanta. Diamond Spring and Frisco Spring continued to be the main source of water for Rogers until Beaver Lake was built in the 1960s. These two springs were said to produce 4,000,000 gallons a day.
Diamond Spring – Is located in Lake Atalanta Park and can still be seen today. Around 1888, Diamond Spring became the water source for Rogers. The water from the spring was proclaimed to “taste so good.” Water was pumped from the spring to a brick water tower on East Walnut at Spring Street. On July 1, 1900, a new steel water tower with a 100,000-gallon capacity was completed. About a week later the old brick tower was blown up. In 1905, there was much talk about a new summer resort to be built at Diamond Spring. The project was to be funded by W. R. Felker, a local Rogers banker. At that time, it was proposed to build a dam and create a lake. The main draws would be boating and fishing. As we know, this did not happen at that time. In 1907, a group bought the valley above the spring to put in a sanitarium for people with consumption. This also never came to fruition. Up until 1915, water was pumped directly from the spring into the water tower without any type of treatment. That year there brought a typhoid epidemic which caused several deaths in Rogers. The state ordered Rogers to install the proper equipment to ensure the water in Rogers was safe to drink. Finally, in 1938 the WPA installed a dam and created Lake Atalanta. Diamond Spring and Frisco Spring continued to be the main source of water for Rogers until Beaver Lake was built in the 1960s. These two springs were said to produce 4,000,000 gallons a day.
Image from around 1907 of Diamond Springs near Lake Atalanta. This spring was used as Rogers water source until Beaver Lake was built. This spring can still be seen at Lake Atalanta to your right as you drive down the hill.
Pump (or Frisco) Spring – This spring sits about a quarter of a mile up the trail from Diamond Spring. When the Frisco railroad chose Rogers to become a town it was partially chosen for the availability of water. They immediately built a line from Pump Spring to a small water tower along the railroad line. Later, as the railroad moved away from steam powered engines, the water from Pump Spring would also be used as a Rogers water source. Today you can see a cement enclosure around where this spring is located.
This image is from around when Rogers became a town (1881). This spring was just up the hill a little towards Rogers from Diamond Springs. Today it is enclosed by a cement foundation. This spring provided water to be used by the Frisco trains. The name written on the rock is J. A. Robertson who was the son-in-law of B. F. Sikes, the founder of Rogers
Osage Spring – What is left of the spring can be found along New Hope Road to the south of Home Depot. The spring was used by early Indians who came through this area while hunting. During the Civil War, the area around the spring was occupied by both Union and Confederate forces. There was a Union Camp called Camp Halleck near the spring. This camp at one time housed thousands of Union soldiers. In 1949, land around the spring became a trout farm, with a restaurant called “Tale of the Trout.” This was a high-end restaurant that stayed open until 2001. The landscape around the spring has totally changed over the years.
Big Spring- Was originally located in a little community called Silver Springs. Today we know that community as Monte Ne. When Coin Harvey created a resort there, Big Spring became one of the focal points of his new community. At first, he built a small cement structure around the spring with a small platform. Later he built the amphitheater around this spring. The spring puts out 10,000 gallons of water a minute which fed into a lagoon Mr. Harvey had built. Today the spring is under Beaver Lake. There were many more springs located in the Monte Ne area.
Big Spring- Was originally located in a little community called Silver Springs. Today we know that community as Monte Ne. When Coin Harvey created a resort there, Big Spring became one of the focal points of his new community. At first, he built a small cement structure around the spring with a small platform. Later he built the amphitheater around this spring. The spring puts out 10,000 gallons of water a minute which fed into a lagoon Mr. Harvey had built. Today the spring is under Beaver Lake. There were many more springs located in the Monte Ne area.
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Here are two images of Big Spring at Monte Ne. The first one shows the spring in the early days of the resort (1910). They would later build the amphitheater around Big Springs, shown in the second image. The spring ran out of an enclosed area into the amphitheater area. It is to the left side of the second image. The spring is still there today, just under Beaver Lake.