A short walk from the Soda & Ice Cream Stand brings you to the Chalybeate Spring (pronounced ka-LIB-e-at). "Chalybeate" means "iron bearing."

The Chalybeate Spring is our current dig project. Click here to learn more about what we've found here.

The spring is located inside the hut-like structure in the first photo, and the spring is the reason the first Hotel was built on the property in 1826. The local Native Americans told the white men that the waters had medicinal powers, and they came from as far away as Ohio to partake of the foul tasting waters. The first Hotel patrons had to walk down the hillside to the spring to consume the waters because the water could not be brought up to the hotel. It was said that the water had to be consumed at the spring to be effective. The question becomes whether the patrons felt better because of the water, or because of the exercise from the walk up and down the hill to get the water.