This morning Betty Jo Bouvier, the Wild Woman of Woolley, asked me what I knew about Crazy Water. I was surprised that somehow Betty Jo had heard about the special water that comes from Mineral Wells.Back on November 28, 2009 I blogged about Crazy Water after I heard from the Famous Mineral Water Company via a Twitter Tweet from @lovecrazywater.
Betty Jo, asking about Crazy Water, put me in mind of Mineral Wells and an old postcard I'd found titled "The Grottoes on Lovers' Retreat, Mineral Wells, Texas."
I assumed that the Lovers' Retreat Grotto must have existed prior to the building of Mineral Wells Dam, which created Mineral Wells Lake, and was now under water. My assumption was wrong.
I do not know where, in Mineral Wells, Lovers' Retreat is located. Here's a blurb I found about this grotto, "Lovers' Retreat has long been one of the most picturesque locations in the county (Palo Pinto) and has been a favorite recreation spot since people have lived in the area. The huge rocks that jut from the earth and numerous ledges and naturally occurring caves contribute to the scenery of the place."
I could find no photos of Lovers' Retreat, which has me thinking my initial assumption may have been correct. Where Mineral Wells Lake and Mineral Wells State Park now exist, there are steep cliffs in an area called Penitentiary Hollow. I imagine the gorge, that the dam dammed, had steep cliffs.
There are two versions of why the Grottos on Lovers' Retreat are so-named.
One version has an early Palo Pinto settler, last name of Lovers, being chased by Indians. Lovers hid in one of the grotto's caves til the Indians gave up looking for him. When Lovers got back to civilization and told his tale, ever after, the grotto had Lovers' name attached to it.
The other version is an Indian legend with 2 versions and it involves actual lovers. The father of an Indian maiden insisted she marry the son of another tribe's chief. But, she was in love with a brave from her own tribe. The day before she was to be married, the maiden eloped with her brave. Her dad then sent out a pack of warriors to catch the pair. They hid out in one of the grotto's caves. When the warriors reached the caves a Medicine Man warned that the caves were haunted by evil spirits. So, they left. The Indian maiden and her brave emerged from the cave and lived in the grotto area for years, eventually joining another tribe and living happily ever after.
In the second version the warrior search party found the hiding lovers, killed the brave. And then, as they were dragging the maiden back to her dad, she broke free and jumped to her death off a 40 foot cliff.
Anyone out there know where the Grottos at Lovers' Retreat are located in Mineral Wells? I think I can eliminate the Baker Hotel as a possible location.
I like the second version of the Lovers' Retreat tale, the one with the happily ever after ending. I am sure that is the true version.
ReplyDeleteBetty Jo, there were too happy ending versions. The one were the guy named Lovers escapes the Indians and the one where the 2 Indians don't get found by the warriors and join another tribe. My favorite version is the one where the maiden jumps off the cliff. That is very Romeo and Juliet.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! I was looking for it too. I live in Weatherford and run a website about all the attractions & events in Parker & Palo Pinto, so this is something I've wanted to find. I did some research today and turns out; the location is 4 miles outside of the town of Palo Pinto. It is now private and is no longer accessible to visitors. (boo!) I did find these recent photos however: The caves: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/22356382 And photos of the old bridge: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://thumb1.webshots.net/t/57/457/6/72/26/2442672260014733261OVVnkW_th.jpg&imgrefurl=http://travel.webshots.com/album/131703555aIpFKd&usg=__Z-kbJH9WnKmMyjzqD2mHtBb5yM4=&h=75&w=100&sz=6&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=8SSxHdp30w1IQM:&tbnh=61&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlover%2527s%2Bretreat,%2Bpalo%2Bpinto%2Btx%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7IRFA_en%26tbs%3Disch:1
ReplyDeleteThe main clue to the exact location says that the property is located just to the North of where the highway crosses Eagle Creek. Too bad it's not public anymore. I would LOVE to explore it!
HTH!
Sherry B
Thanks Sherry, that did help. I could find absolutely not modern photos. That one you found on panoramio matched the postcard.
ReplyDeleteThe other links I could not get to work for me.
Ok, try this
ReplyDeletehttp://travel.webshots.com/album/131703555aIpFKd
then scroll down to the Lovers Retreat photos. You will see the old bridge that's shown in this old postcard:
http://acanadianfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/genealogy-traces.jpg
Sherry, those worked! The current day bridge looks like it might collapse soon! I'm thinking this locale needs to be a park if it really is as cool as the photos seem to indicate.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Maybe if the deal goes through with The Baker, it will open back up.
ReplyDeleteThe area was opened about a year ago during a historic tour set up by the Mineral Wells historic society. Contact the newspaper and they can give you the details.
ReplyDeleteMy husband lived in Mineral Wells, Texas. This is where he caught his first fish when he was three years old in 1964. He thinks in is a shame that it is a shame that it isn't opened up to the public. He thinks it should be a state park. He says it is like heaven on earth. He says you had to wear your snake armour. He also knows of two springs on Eagle creek that you can drink out of without worrying about parasites. No wonder the commanches fought to hard to keep their happy hunting ground. He also picked up a Texas side tang knife, while seining for minnows.
ReplyDeleteMy family had a reunion there every Easter for over 40 years, possibly longer. We were able to get in long after it closed to the public. It stays in our memories as the best places on earth! The hanging bridge mentioned has been there so many years it was a hazard as far back as the 60's. A lot of times we crossed it anyway! The rocks on the other side of the river were a great place to explore but watch out for snakes! It is a shame it was never made into a park but I would hate to see it crowded with people, we like to think of it as our own private place.
ReplyDeleteThe site being about 4 miles west of the town of Palo Pinto is correct. It is north of Hwy180 on what is left of the old Bankhead Highway from the Nineteen teens and twentys. It was a very popular place to go picnic, cool off, and just have fun in the days before public swimming pools and A/C! The suspension bridge is now just cables hanging in the air, and the whole place has become rather overgrown since its abandonment. Still, a beautiful place. I too wish that we could still go see it at will.
ReplyDeleteThis is a Beautiful spot. It has been owned privately for the better part of 100 years. The family that has it know they did have it open for awhile after they acquired it back in the early 1900s. Unfortunately they had to close it because of vandals. The beautiful bridge has been burned twice and someone went down the middle of it with a chainsaw and cut the boards. Every time the family rebuilt it someone would come in and ruin it. There was also a beautiful Tabernacle as well that again someone burned down. In the last 12 years the family has cleared the brush out and made it beautiful again. They have family gatherings down there. It is also on a historical tour every other year in April through the Palo Pinto Historical Society. The family has also received awards though the historical commission. The family is weary about people going down to it without permission due to the amount of vandalism that has taken place over the years. At this point they also have a family cemetery in the park. They are also in the process of rebuilding the original historical marker that was outside the park that was also ruined by vandals. Remember to check it out every other April. The family is very proud and protective of this Beautiful place.
ReplyDelete