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| Picture From the Book "Warrensburg, Missouri" by, Lisa Irle, available on Amazon.com |
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| Picture From the Book "Warrensburg, Missouri" by Lisa Irle, Available on Amazon.com
Warrensburg, Missouri's two healing springs, Pertle Springs and Electric Springs |
In the mid to late 1800s, long before Pertle Springs dominated the resort town known as Warrensburg, people sought health and refuge by visiting the flowing rivers and deep ponds located at Electric Springs. This playground for Johnson County had a large hillside hotel, a forty-tub bathhouse straddling a fresh flowing ravine, concession stands, and a summer garden encircled with a colorful array of flowers. Beginning in 1887 and for the next 22 years, streetcars pulled by two mules would transport people to and from central parts of town to the resort. For recreation, people could bowl in a small two-lane bowling alley with wooden balls. For swimming or wading, the water sunk down to as deep as ten feet in various locations and was thought to have a healing quality for people who had an illness, disease, or other physical problems.
Here are some actual advertisements enticing people to travel to the oasis:
"Electric Springs Water. Drink your way to health using Nature’s own beverage. Especially recommended for all kidney and bladder troubles, diabetes, sour stomach, dyspepsia, etc."
"Invalids, the Oakes Hotel is now ready for business. The Electric Springs bathhouse is in full blast where baths are given with pure Electric Springs water, red hot if desired. This hotel is situated in the city of Warrensburg, one-half mile from the (old)courthouse, yet it is in the wilderness, in the midst of wild scenery. Do you know that this water has cured diseases that have baffled the skill of the medical fraternity for the past 2000 years?"
In 1836, Henry Colbern purchased a ten acre plot of land which currently encompasses part of the Northside of Business 50, Thunderbird Mobile Estates, various business offices, a car wash, and the Electric Springs Apartments. The property would stay in the Colbern family until it would be sold to John J. Cockrell in 1881. A decade later, George W. Colbern (the founder of Colbern Cemetery which would later be renamed Sunset Hill) would buy back the property and continue providing hot and cold baths to visitors from all over the county.
Using the water as a refreshing resource for both people’s bodies and owners’ pocketbooks, the water would be sold around town to various businesses and individual houses. Arthur King, who purchased the property in 1917, would use the water to make soda pop. As the Electric Springs waned due to the competition of Pertle Springs, the use of the automobile, and the lack of scientific proof of spring water’s healing quality, Clement Bruch would purchase the property in 1929 and make it his personal home. He would make a living delivering water storefront to storefront while riding in his horse and buggy. Today, little remains of this Garden of Eden that brought thousands to Warrensburg except for the stories written down by those who lived years ago.
Published Kansas City Journal January 23, 1897
There was also a race track located between Electric Springs and today's modern Highway 50.
There was also a race track located between Electric Springs and today's modern Highway 50.
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