Dawson Springs Once Drew Visitors Seeking Healing Waters

A few years ago, when President Joe Biden visited Dawson Springs in the aftermath of the deadly December 10, 2021, tornado outbreak, he made mention of something about the town I'd never heard before. He said that, back in the 1900s, it was a place where people came to be healed because of the mineral waters. He was referring to Dawson Springs' history as a health resort, and that's why "Springs" is in the town's name.

That memory resurfaced when I saw a recent post that mentioned "the healing waters of Dawson Springs." And, sure enough, that's practically the exact title of a paper presented at the Geological Society of America's 2018 annual meeting.

Dawson Springs Becomes a Health Resort

In the late 19th century, due to the mineral content in its wells, Dawson Springs became a medical tourism destination. The Illinois Central Railroad heavily advertised the town, bringing visitors from elsewhere to take advantage of its supposedly healing waters. During the tourist season, as many as 12 passenger trains arrived each day!

12 Trains a Day Brought Visitors to Town

The town was originally called Dawson. "Springs" was added in 1898, in recognition of its mineral water. Interestingly, the water came from wells rather than the natural springs many people might imagine. The city's own history explains that the mineral water discoveries were made while digging wells.

The waters from those wells were advertised as treatments for a host of ailments. They were even promoted as a cure for renal failure. Soon, the water was being bottled, concentrated, and carbonated for sale.

Hotels sprang up to accommodate the influx of visitors. The town reportedly had more physicians than were needed to serve its approximately 2,000 permanent residents. Pharmacies flourished, and a pharmaceutical company known as Dawson Pharmal Company was established. It incorporated in 1904 and manufactured Scott's Lodoform Emulsion, a treatment for gastrointestinal distress.

The Decline of Dawson Springs' Resort Era

Dawson Springs remained a thriving resort town into the early 20th century, but its fortunes eventually changed. Business at the hotels dropped dramatically with the onset of the Great Depression, and the resort business never recovered. With the decline of the spas and the relocation of the railroad, coal mining became an important part of the local economy. The last mine closed in 1960.

It's quite a history for a small western Kentucky town. And there's something particularly fitting about Biden's words in 2021. More than a century after people traveled to Dawson Springs hoping to find healing in its waters, the town found itself facing an entirely different kind of recovery. The mineral waters may no longer draw visitors, but the history behind the name Dawson Springs is certainly worth remembering.