Thousands Of People Used To Flock To This Tiny Kentucky Town To Experience Its Healing Mineral Waters
By Sarah McCosham|Published January 31, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
There’s nothing like a day on the water in Kentucky, something we think is healing for the heart and soul. But did you know there’s a small town in Kentucky that was once thought to have literal healing waters? Thousands of people used to flock to the tiny town of Dawson to experience its healing waters, a legacy celebrated in the Dawson Springs Museum and Art Center today.
Dawson Springs is home to a population of 2,400 and is, from all appearances, a typical and charming small town in Kentucky.
This little town in Western Kentucky is known by outdoor enthusiasts as the home of Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, one of the best places for water recreation in the state.
In the 1880s, W.I. Hamby discovered the first mineral well in the Dawson Springs area. Owner of the eponymous Hamby Hotel, in June of 1893 he was drilling for water to accommodate his hotel when he struck a second well.
People came from all over the country and abroad to sample the cures offered by the mineral waters in this small town in Western Kentucky. Trade and tourism flourished, with Hamby's Well putting Dawson Springs on the map.
It was said that this well could water 100,000 or more people on a daily basis. This very famous well became known as Hamby's Salts, Iron and Lithia Well.
Chemists analyzed the water at Dawson Springs and their findings were published as endorsements for the healing powers found in the natural mineral waters. Medical professionals even touted the waters, sending patients to Dawson Springs for relief from liver and gallbladder ailments, rheumatism, heart disease, and intestinal troubles.
Hotels, boarding houses, spas, and mineral baths sprung up all over the place and people told tales of amazing cures afforded by the miracle waters, creating the framework for the town we know today.
This unique and fascinating history is celebrated at the Dawson Springs Museum and Art Center, along with other fascinating photographs and artifacts from the town's founding days.
