Excelsior Springs

According to an historical and descriptive booklet issued by the town company of Excelsior Springs, Excelsior Springs was discovered in June, 1880, and was found by the merest accident to possess medicinal properties. Harvesters engaged in cutting wheat where the city now stands found a stream of clear cold water issuing from the bank of Fishing River and remarked that there was a mineral taste to it. A Negro standing by, who was badly afflicted with scrofula, heard the ensuing discussion on the healing qualities of mineral springs and resolved to try the water of this one on himself. A few weeks' use of the water effected a complete cure, to the great astonishment of all who knew the circumstances of his case.

It may be stated as an historical fact that long prior to 1880 the healing properties of the springs were known, but only to a limited number of persons who lived in that immediate section and who occasionally made use of the water for the cure of minor skin eruptions or disease. It was only when the Rev. J. V. B. Flack, a wide-awake, enterprising merchant, living at Missouri City, who having heard reports of the efficacy of the water in healing, determined to have the water tested to ascertain its common parts and having secured a sufficient quantity thereof, sent it to St. Louis for an analysis. A report from the chemists showed that the water was impregnated with such minerals that science always attributed the greatest curative value.

The owner of the land upon which was the chief or largest spring was A. W. Wyman. Mr. Flack induced Mr. Wyman to lay out a good part of his farm into town lots, which accordingly was done, under the supervision of Mr. Flack. When this was accomplished, the springs were publicly advertised, whereupon people flocked in large numbers from all parts of the country to avail themselves of the health-giving qualities of the springs. There being no hotel or boarding house accommodations, invalids were encamped in the surrounding groves and provisions made among the farmer's for their care and attention. There was not a house near the springs when T. Benton Rogers, the county surveyor, surveyed the town in the early part of September, 1880. Had it not been for the interest, activity and enterprise of J. V. B. Flack in making known to the world the almost marvelous curative properties of Excelsior Springs, in all probability its wonderful reputation for the healing of the people would be to this day "unhonored and unsung".

As soon as the survey was completed, Jim Pearson, of Liberty, erected the first house on Broadway, a lot only intervening between his lot and the "old spring". This building, a small frame or box, he used principally as a restaurant. The second building was Flynn's grocery store. In the winter of 1880, Doctor Flack erected a store building and removed his stock of goods from Missouri City and occupied it. The first hotel was built by Mr. Riggs, on the west side of Broadway and Main in 1880. Near the "old spring" Wyman and Wert built the "Excelsior House", which for several years was a leading hotel and conducted by Mr. Wert. Doctor Flack preached the first sermon in the fall of 1880, in a grove near town.

The first school was taught by Mrs. Robert Caldwell and Miss Susie Hyatt. During this year was the contest for Congress between Hon. D. C. Allen and Col. John T. Crisp. Speeches were made by Colonel Crisp, Judge George W. Dunn and Doctor Flack.

The post-office was established in March 1881 and for about two years was officially known as Viginti. J. Brack Holton was the first postmaster.

No town in Missouri ever grew more rapidly in any twelve months' time than Excelsior Springs. Unquestionably the town was on a boom in 1881. Although no census was taken, the increase must have reached to 2,000 inhabitants. The first church built was The Christian Union, of which Dr. J. V. B. Flack was pastor. The doors of this church were always ready to be opened for the accommodation of ministers of other denominations to hold religious services.- In the fall of 1884, the Baptists began the erection of their church building, which was completed the year following.

Excelsior Springs was incorporated as a village at the February term of the county court 1881, the site comprising all of the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 1, township 52, range 30-40 acres. The first trustees were W. B. Smith, J. D. Graham, W. C. Corum and W. P. Garrett. The town was incorporated as a city of the fourth class, July 12, 1881. Mayor, E. Smith; clerk, J. C. Dickey; aldermen, first ward, N. L. Rico and J. C. Dickey; aldermen, second ward, Philip G. Holt and L. W. Garrett; attorney, John H. Dunn; marshal, J. I). Halferty. These were the first officers of the city of Excelsior Springs.

The resident population of more than 5,000 comfortably fills the Y-shaped valley of Fishing River with its active, up-to-date business district, spring parks, hotels and residences, then spreads upward along the picturesque timbered hills and beyond to the rolling upland with its commanding views of the most charming landscape to be found in the great Middle West.

The hotels, boarding and other houses have heretofore met the needs of visitors, and the recent demand for a higher type of accommodations has been met by the erection of the Elms and Snapp's and the rebuilding and enlargement of the Royal, representing an investment of $800,000. A careful estimate shows that during the past four years more than $2,000,000.00 have been expended in improvements and public utilities that make for attractiveness and add to the comforts of residents and visitors.

The attractive environment has been from the start protected by the residents. As an instance, they acquired a tract of land for park purposes extending over a mile through the town along both banks of the stream. This was placed in the hands of George E. Kessler, the well-known landscape architect, for development and the construction of the spring pavilions and Siloam Gardens. $100,000 has already been expended on this civic beauty plan in addition to the sums already spent by the city for concrete arch bridges and paved drives which form a part of the extensive park and driveway system.

The municipal developments are being sensibly worked out from carefully matured plans, and their scope has been greatly expanded by the friendly co-operation of various private interests. Much has been accomplished in a few years and on every hand are evidences of a continuance of the energy and well-directed effort which has built a resort that for varied chai-m and true usefulness invites comparison with the famous watering places at home, or abroad.

Many invalid patrons of foreign watering places who were compelled by the war to seek a counterpart of their favorite spring nearer home, have been surprised to find at Excelsior Springs a group of springs with a range of curative value not to be found in any European resort.

This distinguished group of more than twenty springs includes four distinct types classified as follows: Iron-Manganese, Sulpho-Saline, Soda-Bicarbonate, Calcic-Bicarbonate.

The Siloam and Regent are two of the six well-known iron-manganese springs, and the only ones used commercially in the United States. The four others of this type are at Pyrmont and Schwalbach, Germany; Spa, Belgium and Mont St. Moritz, Switzerland.

The value of manganese, when associated with iron, lies in the fact that it renders the iron more digestible. Iron has been prescribed for more than a century for the purpose of increasing the red blood corpuscles, but until its association with manganese, was unsatisfactory, because it's continued use deranged digestion. The combination, however, in perfect solution, as in the Siloam and Regent, is digestible in the most delicate stomach.

Therefore, the iron-manganese waters are invaluable in the treatment of the many ailments arising from impoverished and impure blood. They also stimulate the action of the kidneys and aid in the elimination of uric acid, hence are effective in cases of rheumatism, either inflammatory, muscular or sciatic, and the chronic kidney and bladder troubles, including Bright's disease, diabetes and cystitis.

The discovery in 1888 of the Sulpho-Saline water at a depth of 1,460 feet, marked a most distinct advance in the city's claim for distinction as a watering place, and others of similar properties have since been found. These waters relieve promptly ordinary attacks of indigestion, acid or gaseous conditions of the stomach; inflammatory and catarrhal conditions of the mucous tissue of the respiratory and digestive tracts; dyspepsia, biliousness, constipation, jaundice and the ailments caused by a torpid liver.

The Soda-Bicarbonate waters, of which there are several, are most useful in the treatment of derangements of digestion, dyspepsia, biliousness and intestinal troubles, and are largely prescribed by the local physicians. The Calcic-Bicarbonate waters are prescribed where a uric acid condition exists ; for rheumatism, kidney and bladder troubles, and especially in many ailments' where the physician recognizes that in the patient's condition the use of the more "positive" waters is contra-indicated.

To get the combined alternative, eliminative and tonic blood building effects of these waters one would, elsewhere, be compelled to visit two or more resorts. For example, the Carlsbad patient, if too much weakened by the eliminative action of the water and baths, is frequently urged to go to one or another of distant iron springs and there take a "building-up" treatment. This means additional time and expense. Similar conditions obtain in the treatment of chronic ailments at other resorts.

In confirmation of the above statements, the analyses of world famous European Springs of the Iron-Manganese type have been tabulated for ready comparison with one typical Excelsior Springs water. Only the valuable and active mineral constituents are given, but in no instance has either a valuable or an objectionable constituent been omitted.

Siloam Spring, ever since its discovery which led to the founding of Excelsior Springs in 1881, has been the center around which the visitors and residents have assembled, it remains the "hub" of the city. The fine woodland surrounding it and extending to the southern line of hills, together with a wide frontage on Broadway, the combined area occupying two-thirds of the entire valley, has been purchased for the main park entrance and the site of the park's most elaborate development. The entrance is approached east and west by the Broadway "White Way". The same effective scheme of illumination has been extended to other streets and this together with the brilliantly lighted spring pavilions, places of amusement and shop windows, give the town at night a bright, inviting appearance. The stores and shops in great variety, with their smart window displays and up-to-date stocks, are in themselves an interesting feature. They satisfactorily meet the wide range of needs of a resort and home community.

The school system ranks among the best in the state. There are two primary schools, and the new High School, built at a cost of $65,000.00, includes manual training, domestic science, business and teacher training among its courses. Its graduation certificates are accepted by all western universities. There is a fine Carnegie Public Library. Nearly all leading denominations of churches are represented: Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Christian Union and Christian Science.

The Home Telephone Company owns its own exchange building and operates the Bell long distance system. The leading hotels have telephone service in all sleeping rooms.

There are many garages and also auto repair shops. The only manufacturing industries of a commercial nature are the necessary public utilities plants, the bottling works, the pure milk company, and the ice and cold storage plant.

Broadway, as well as all the other streets in the business section of the town, is paved with asphalt. The alleys are paved with brick laid on a concrete foundation. The curbing and sidewalks are cement. A sanitary sewerage system serves every section of the city. The domestic water supply comes from deep wells, eight miles south of the town near the Missouri River and is pumped to the water tower and reservoir which feed the high and low levels. No city has a better supply of pure water. With water and sewer connections enforced, the surface drainage provided for, and a monthly sanitary examination of the springs, the city has taken every practical and scientific precaution to prevent any possible contamination of its mineral waters and safeguard the health of its residents and visitors.

In the fullest meaning of the words, there are here all the comforts and conveniences of a prosperous sanitary city amid beautiful and restful rural surroundings.

Amusements indoor and out are plentiful, all one would expect to find at a national resort. The shaded roads and byways, leading in every direction through the picturesque surrounding country, offer every temptation for walking, horseback riding, driving and motoring. The high class saddle horses, for which the Springs is well known, come from this blue grass region of fine cattle and horses. The Annual Fox Hunt over a preserve of nearly 2,000 acres some six miles distant has a more than local reputation and brings hundreds of hunters each fall to the camping ground in a forest nearby the scene of the meet.

There is bass and crappie fishing at Wales' lake a short distance away and also a beach for bathing.

Tennis is of course popular and there are several good courts.

A large three-story building, costing $80,000, is devoted entirely to in-door sports, on the first floor are ten bowling alleys and there are many other places devoted to clean, healthful amusements.

Band concerts are given in the Spring Park, and there is dancing four evenings each week at one or the other of the hotels.

The People of Excelsior Springs believe in education and have seen to it that progressive and able citizens are placed on the Board of Education. With men of unquestioned integrity in charge, the people of the community have given liberal financial support to the schools. As a result of this liberal financial policy, the schools are among the best equipped in the state. The Board has been able to pay attractive salaries in order to secure and hold competent teachers.

The personnel of the Board and teaching staff at the present time is as follows:

Clay County| AHGP Missouri

Source: History of Clay County, Missouri, by W. H. Woodson, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, 1920.