Yes CRAZY! Mineral Wells is the home of the Famous Mineral Water Company, the bottlers of Crazy Water. Yes, Crazy Water!
Mineral Wells was founded in 1887 two miles from the Brazos River. People soon got tired of hauling water that far, imagine a four-mile round trip for water, so they pooled their resources and brought in a well driller who drilled a well in the center of town. The people felt the water had a funny taste and smell, so they used it to water their livestock. Well, the cows didn’t die so people started using the water and recognized the “healing powers”. Soon more wells were drilled, and several water companies, spas, drinking pavilions and bathhouses were started. Mineral Wells became the “Spa” of Texas and the southwest.
Several Hotels sprang up also. The above hotel, the Baker is said to be haunted and ghost tours are still conducted. The other, the Crazy Water is where we stayed.
Although an old building the Crazy Water was completely renovated in 2018 financed by an 88-member group of citizens to make it the focal point of Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County. And boy did they do a great job. My guess is that at least part of the building was being used as apartments prior to the renovation as our room would have been a comfortable fulltime dwelling.
Today the Crazy Water is becoming an event venue, especially weddings for the area.
The room also had a nice big bath and king bed.
Mineral Wells hosted the 1919 Chicago White Sox for Spring Training. They also had the St Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds for Spring Training in the 1910’s and 1920’s.
Now why Crazy Water?
When the third well was drilled an insane woman drank it and claimed to be cured, ever since it’s been known as Crazy Water!
We visited the Famous Mineral Water Company the only original water company still in business. Formed in 1904 by Ed Dismuke it continues to serve customers today with a drinking pavilion and water sales. It is the only well left that has not been capped.
Downtown, are shops, mostly antique shops and restaurants. Nice little burg……
Old Man Wandering 