SULPHUR SPRINGS

Article in unnamed newspaper
September 1, 1851

Follow by:

A journal entry from the diary of S.R. Curtin
August 24, 1851

Note from Bob Corbett -- May 11, 2003

I was looking at the journal of C.R. Curtis at the Missouri Historical Society and found that he had made a visit to Sulphur Spring. Along with him was another person (unnamed -- initials R.S.T.) who published a newspaper account a couple of days later. Both the article and the journal entry are below.

THE SULPHUR SPRING

From an unidentified news story dated September 1, 1851. [From Corbett:] It's not clear that this piece was PUBLISHED in 1851, nor that it appeared in 1851. Rather, it is under 9/2/1851 in the diary of S.R. Curtis, and is a published newspaper account. Since the author of the diary (S.R. Curtis) wrote very similar things about Sulphur Spring (in a diary entry of Aug. 24, 1851, and had also visited Sulphur Spring on a Sunday), one might assume this was someone WITH Curtis on this day.

On the other hand, the reference to meeting the person with experience on the Rio Grande, leads one to think that maybe that someone was Bill Sublette. Were that the case it would have had to have referred to a visit in 1844 or earlier since Sublette died in 1845.

Yet this "Rio Grande" acquaintance could also be this Dr. Dickman Brady (?) If that is what journal entry says -- I couldn't read it.

The old settlers know very well the character and the locality of the sulphur spring near this city; but some forty or fifty thousand of our new-comers were surprised by a notice some days since that "the sulphur spring" was about to be opened as a place of public attraction.

I have often desired some place either in or out of this city, where I could find a cool shade, surrounded with natural or artificial scenery; where I could quietly sit down and contemplate the past, the present and the future, without the eternal noise and bustle of city life and city toil. A pleasant hour's drive last Sunday morning, "in a westerly direction," on the Manchester road, brought me on the waters of the river Des Peres. Leaving the macadamized road and winding along this stream thought a beautiful natural grove, I was soon brought to the object of my search, "the Sulphur Spring House" - a large stone house, on a hill, surrounded by groves of native forest trees. The gate was wide open, and I was welcomed by the hospitable proprietor, an old companion on the sultry plains of the Rio Grande.

I could not stop to rest, or drink or talk over old scenes in the chaparral, but hurried out to enjoy the wild, picturesque and beautiful scenery around me. The spring gushes out of this bank of the little river in a stream as large as your arm. The water has the peculiar smell of a the washing of a gun barrel, indicative of the sulphur, and of the right kind of sulphur water. It is just such sulphur water as I have often drank at Delaware and other places in Ohio, and where the water is regarded as exceedingly valuable for medical purposes. A running stream shaded by native forest trees, a variety of wild flowers and wild birds around me, a rocky bank and a sparkling fountain, and the large white stone house seen through the trees in the background, is a rough sketch of the picture before me. The day was exceedingly warm, but I passed it in company with many others very happily at the Sulphur Spring.

For "a day in the country," this ride is certainly the most agreeable I have found about St. Louis; and I look forward to the day when thousands will follow my few remarks in search of a few hours' relief from the toil and bustle of city life.

R.S.T.

The diary entry of S.R. Curtis on Aug. 24, 1851.

Accepted an invitation to go out to the Sulphur Spring. I started soon after breakfast and called at W. Dolman. (?) He and a W. Hepham (?) went with me.

The drive was a very pleasant one. We found Dr. Dickman Brady (?) to give us a hearty welcome.

Sulphur Spring is a very large natural fountain on the bank of the River des Peres. The water is strongly impregnated with sulphur giving off the odor always emitted by white sulphur springs.

I am fond of the water and drank freshly (?)

The grounds are natural picturesque. There is the creek, the spring, a grove consisting of the native forest trees, the underwood and wild flowers.

This is a place to charm me and I spent the day very much to my satisfaction.

S.R. Curtis.