Cardwell, Caldwell County, TX ~ The Plum Creek Almanac Project

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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

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