This delightful summer resort is beautifully situated in the vale of Butler Creek, on Section 23, Township 21 north, Range 33 west, and on the line of the survey of the Kansas City, Fort Smith & Southern Railroad, now graded to Splitlog, in Missouri. It was surveyed and laid out in December, 1885, by S. B. Robertson, for the proprietors, Hibler & Cox. Lyons’ addition thereto was laid out in May, 1887, and the whole village was re-surveyed in July of that year, by Mr. Robertson, for Charles Hibler and John Black. The group of springs at this place “includes one white sulphur, one potash sulphur, one magnesia, one chalybeate, one nitre, and one intermittent freestone spring, and is distant by highway northwest from Bentonville eighteen miles; from Splitlog, Mo., sixteen miles; from the Missouri State line, one and one-half miles, and from the line of the Indian Territory, eight and one-half miles.” The village, surrounding the main group of springs, lies on a gently inclining plane, with a gravelly soil, and the natural scenery in every direction is “romantic and wild,” like that usually seen from the valleys of a mountainous country. The village is in the heart of a region of cavernous limestone caves, there being fifteen caves within the radius of five miles. An elevated site, just south of the village and springs and overlooking the same, has been selected for the erection of a commodious hotel. The promenade grounds reserved around the springs contain several acres, beautifully ornamented and shaded with natural forest trees, some of which are gigantic in size. Of the five vales, which form a junction at this place, three of them open toward the southward, and the place is protected from the chilling winds of winter by a semi-circular mountain ridge rising high above it.
The flow of the mineral springs is sufficient to supply 10,000 people. The supply of water for domestic use, the source of which are springs near at hand, is collectively 700,000 gallons per day. The largest of the springs producing this supply is about one and a half miles southeast of the village, and over 100 feet above it. A good hotel, with adjacent cottages for the accommodation of guests, is now in operation, under the able management of Mr. Charles Hibler and his lady. An excellent bath-house has just been completed. A first-class livery stable stands near the pleasure grounds, the proprietors of which are always ready to furnish rigs for pleasure drives.
The village also contains a post-office, stores, a school-house,and a number of residences, and deserves especial mention as being the neatest and most cleanly kept village or town in Benton County. The approaches to the village are by hack line from Bentonville; by same from Southwest City, Missouri, ten miles; and from Splitlog, Missouri, sixteen miles, and it is confidently expected that this will soon be improved by railroad communication north and south.
There is no doubt about the waters at Sulphur Springs containing medicinal qualities, as every person that has used them can readily testify. The white sulphur spring is the most noted, and contains the greatest amount of curative qualities. With or without a railroad, this place is bound to remain a favorite resort for invalids and pleasure seekers.
The Benton County Bulletin, published at Sulphur Springs, was established at Bentonville in July, 1888, by its present editor and proprietor, John R. Huffman, and was moved to Sulphur Springs early in September following. It is a four-column quarto, is neatly printed, and labors in the interest of Republican principles.
Back to: Benton County, Arkansas History
Source: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.