Experience Excelsior Trip Planner 2020

EXPLORE
HAVE
YA’LL
HEARD
ABOUT
the water
Excelsior Springs, the city with the
magic waters, came to be as a modern
dwelling in the year 1880. At the time,
it was basically a wheat field. From the
Fishing River, a spring water with a
red coloring flowed, becoming Siloam
Spring and the first of the mineral waters
found in Excelsior Springs. It is the
only natural supply of ferro-manganese
mineral water in the United States
and one of only five known worldwide.
It’s also the spring that paved the way
for Excelsior Springs to become what
it is today.
The story goes like this: A local farmer,
Travis Mellion, was searching for
help for his daughter who was suffering
from tuberculosis. Mellion gave
his daughter water from the spring to
drink and bathe in. Within days, a drastic
improvement in her condition was
observed; in just weeks, she was cured.
People took notice. Another story of
the healing properties of the water
comes from Civil War Veteran Frederick
Kuglar, who decided to test the water
on an unhealed gunshot wound.
He, too, found relief and a full recovery
from the waters.
From there, the owners of the property
platted the valley and formed a
town. Within a year’s time, 200 houses
had settled into the hilly terrace for
newcomers to call home. Visitors who
had heard of the magic waters came in
droves, camping in tents and covered
wagons, to get their hands on the waters.
After the discovery of the first water,
more than 40 more mineral water
wells and springs were identified, including
sodium bicarbonate, calcium
bicarbonate and saline sulphur. One
of Excelsior’s claims to fame is that we
have more groupings of mineral water
than anywhere else in the world. IN
THE ENTIRE WORLD!
Before long, visitors from larger
metropolitan areas caught interest
in the springs. Suddenly, due to high
demand, boarding houses and hotels
were erected and stage lines were
put into place. Excelsior continued to
thrive with further construction and
expansion, even avoiding the worst
of the Great Depression thanks to our
status as a health resort oasis.
In the late 1950s, the good times
took a hit as some of the health benefits
were questioned and popularity of
resort spa towns declined.
Today, the springs still flow, although
access to them has diminished. City
and community civic groups are currently
working to restore mineral water
pavilions at as many sites as possible.
Our rich history helped make us what
we are, but we are even more than our
water. We have created a community
with deep roots in history and a huge
passion toward the future. We have
two feet moving forward while keeping
an eye on our past.
Our tourism industry is booming and
new businesses are opening up every
year, including a brand new brewery,
restaurants and retail space with more
to come in the future.
We pride ourselves on being a
unique, charming town rich in history,
culture and forward momentum. We
welcome you to our town and hope
you enjoy your time here!
If you’d like to learn more about our
history, you can read about it at www.
VisitExcelsior.com or even better, learn
about it in person at the Excelsior
Springs Museum and the Hall of Waters.