Natural lithia mineral spring waters are rare and Lithia Spring in Baxter County is a noteworthy contributor to Arkansas’ apothecary of healing springs. The spring lies on a natural trace of rolling prairies edged by the White River and riparian woodlands. Game is plentiful and the soil fertile and the springs once supported a nearby Native American encampment and arrow works. The prairies would later attract settlers who would use nearby fords and ferry stations in their westward migration. Eventually an “improved military road” would be built – a road that many Cherokees took in their forced march and resettlement during the Trails of Tears saga.

Mary Messick erroneously reports in the History of Baxter County that Bill Bridger, brother to frontiersman Jim Bridger, once owned a trading post at Lithia Springs and that Kit Carson “bought his groups” to the springs. Rather, she confuses the facts for Kit Carson was actually visiting the Lithia Spring at Ojo Caliente in New Mexico and brought no groups to Arkansas in any of his exploits. (Further confusion may arise as Daniel Zirschky who owned a trading post in nearby Dry Corners married Martha E. Carson who may have been distantly related to Kit Carson. Regardless, there is no evidence that either Kit Carson or Bill Bridger ever lived or visit Lithia Springs.) Nevertheless, the springs were already a popular stop-over for visitors when the Rev. Charles Henderson Mayfield and his family moved to the springs prior to the Civil War.

Charles was a circuit Baptist minister and travel by foot and horse over much of Baxter and Marion Counties spreading the word, giving hundreds of sermons, dispensing thousands of pages of literature and baptizing all those who sought redemption. The Rev. Mayfield was an original founder and pastor of many churches on the west side of the White River – New Hope, Anitoch, Flippin, Rea Valley, etc. –and was frequently confronted with the challenges of crossing the river. Ferries were expensive and often weren’t available. Many times the Reverend would have to swim his horse across the river and pour the water out of his boots before continuing on to church.

The toils of travel took their toll on Charles who had long suffered from rheumatism, neuralgia and kidney disease. Charles would return home to Lithia Springs to recuperate, recover and prepare for his next sermon while his wife Melinda 'Mahula' tended to the needs of the home and their seven children. Sadly Mahula died in 1879 and thereafter the Reverend’s health deteriorated even further. By 1881 he felt paralyzed, his life burdensome and very uncertain. He would remarry the following year – Ms. Elizabeth White, a neighboring widow – which helped reduce his labor in tending to his children but it wasn’t until Lithia Springs brought forth its healing waters that Mayfield was fully restored to health.

Following a long cold winter with sub-zero temperatures a terrific waterspout in June of 1986 tore out tons of clay and rock from the ravine from which the springs emerge. The rising water cut into the west bank of the ravine where the “old spring” emerged but on the east bank of the ravine the flood exposed an entirely new spring. Discovering this, Mr. Mayfield reasoned, that as the water from the west cramped him and only worsened his symptoms, those from the east ridge would benefit his condition. Immediately upon drinking from the spring Mayfield felt better and within a few short weeks he had fully recovered, keeping his cane solely as a “relic of the painful past”.

With increased vigor the Reverend went about his faithful endeavors with greater enthusiasm than ever before but now he carried not only carried the word of God but also word of Lithia Springs, the elixir of life. Upon his promotion as many as 100 persons would visit the Lithia Springs each day -- men, women and children, coming and go¬ing in all directions drinking and carrying away the water in buckets, jugs, kegs and bottles. Rev. Mayfield do-nated a beautiful five-acre site in the plot and had it surveyed and title conveyed to the Baptist Hospital association, upon which they were to erect “a substan¬tial 60x60 foot two-story hospi¬tal building”. It was hoped that the Baptist, with their presumed wealth and influence, would make Lithia Springs their "Siloam” and a small town plat was surveyed into lots of one-quarter acre each. It is reported that as many as two dozen lots were sold, and, in several cases lumber ordered for buildings but little is known as to entirety of the developments surrounding Lithia Springs.

Due to the myriad of visitors to the springs lodging was certainly available at the springs and was likely provided by a collection of boarding houses, cabins, and lean-tos. Most visitors would stay anywhere from a few days to several weeks rusticating at the springs. Remarkable cures were reported in which patients recovered from many protracted and painful experiences. The spring was found to be particularly effective in treating those inflicted with rheumatism and kidney disease. And although little was yet known about the psycho-therapeutic benefits of trace amounts of lithium in drinking water many claimed the water also helped them calm their emotions and relax.

In 1891 the State Geologist surveyed the springs and found them to produce nearly 5000 gallons of water per day and to contain a significant amount of lithium salts substantiating claims that the water possessed unique chemical properties. For those too ill to travel to the springs the water was hauled off in large barrels for the benefit of their health. One valuable feature attributed to the water was that it did not “die” and that both the carbonation and healing properties were retained even when bottled and transported great distances. Noting its inherent value Mayfield started to bottle and sell the water commercially but leased the operation over to various local proprietors such as the Gassville Bottling Works (proprietors, W.D. Torrance and Young) and Lithia Springs Bottling Works (proprietors, Robertson and Russell).

By the turn of 20th century Lithia Springs was a well-established resort. On Sunday afternoons many buggies and hacks from churches in Mt. Home, Cotter and rural communities would deliver young folks to the springs to mingle and picnic together. But even as the springs were becoming a local institution the Reverend Mayfield was growing old and could no longer pursue the progressive marketing needed to sustain their popularity. Fortunately a wealthy investor from St. Louis had recently taken an interest in Cotter and nearby Lithia Springs.

In 1905 M.C. Burke of St. Louis made a sizable investment and became the principal stockholder in Lithia Springs Company and completed arrangements for a large hotel at the springs. The place was to be made into a health resort where invalids and others could enjoy the curative properties of the healing waters. This large and modern facility cost $15,000 to construct and furnish and became yet another attraction for visitors to Lithia Springs. The grounds were improved to create a large park-like setting and even healthy visitors sought lodging at the hotel. However Burke eventually overextended himself – a brick factory in Fort Smith, a sand company, a construction company, a realty company and others -- and soon found himself insolvent. The resort at Lithia Springs had to be sold.

In the early 1900s Dr. H. F. Palanske, dentist, and his family moved to Lithia Springs and completely remodeled the hotel. Palanske maintained an office at Lithia Springs in addition to traveling to many surrounding communities to provide needed care. Mrs. Palanske and the family operated a large, modern dairy and also shipped 5-gallon jugs of the mineral water from Lithia Springs all over the country. Dr. Palanske died of a stroke in 1947 and thereafter Lithia Creek Farms came under ownership of M.O. Simmons and kin; it remains one of the most beautiful farms in the county.

For many years Lithia Springs were referred to as Kettle Springs as a large cast iron kettle was once used as a catch basin for the spring. The kettle was a remnant of the civil war and was likely used at the Confederate Powder Works in operation at a saltpeter cave just a few miles above Talbert's Ferry. Captain Burch of the Union captured the works in 1862 and ordered the works destroyed. In his official report he claims 26 large kettles which were broken with sledges, and the buildings, including blacksmith and carpenter shops destroyed. However, "Mum" Treat, a southern man who was one of the party employed to assist in making powder says: "the Union forces burned our quarters and destroyed the other works, except that, if I mistake not, they left a few of the large kettles uninjured”. After the war one of these kettles was later retrieved – possible from the bed of the White River – and taken to the Lithia Springs where for many years it stood. Sometime after 1958 Roy Danuser, a prominent Mountain Home attorney and history buff, purchased the kettle and had it moved to Mountain Village 1890, an authentic reproduction of a 19th century Ozark village he was developing in Bull Shoals. The kettle was placed outside of Bull Shoals Cavern where it is assumed to reside to this day.



Many of the improvements at Lithia Springs can still be found today – the arched stone bridge, the concrete steps that descended into the covered springhouse, the foundational stones that offered a perch for sitting and visiting with friends and acquaintances and the spring which continues to bring forth water rich in lithium salts. Similarly, across the road (Highway 126) Lithia Springs lodge still stands albeit it has been extensively remodeled over the past 100 years. Until recently the lodge was still being used as a bed and breakfast. Although Lithia Springs is no longer sought out today for its healing properties the cows which now drink from the spring all seem to be very happy.