Taking the Waters in Texas: Springs, Spas, and Fountains of Youth

This text offers a history of Texas’ healing springs. The author tracks the rise, popularity, and decline of the water cure and follows the development of major spas and resorts such as Mineral Wells and Indian Hot Springs near El Paso, as well as charting the history of smaller, family-run springs. Valenza also describes how mineral waters influenced the patterns of settlement, transportation routes, commerce and people’s attitudes toward the land.