Sutherland Springs

Taking a drive south out of San Antonio on Highway eighty-seven will lead you to the small community of Sutherland Springs, which lies on the banks of the Cibolo Creek. This would be a nice outing in today's world; however, it was much nicer to take a journey there in the early 1900s on a Sunday for a picnic and a swim in the health resort springs. It was commonly known as the “Saratoga” of the South.

Sutherland Springs was founded by Dr. John Sutherland in 1849 even though the Polley family was already living there. It was at the turn of the century, when they found that the springs from the Cibolo Creek could possibly cure illnesses. Dr. John Sutherland discovered the springs during one of his journeys to Gonzales for reinforcements for the men at the Battle of the Alamo. We think he may have spent the night in the area of the springs and wanted to move his family there. Sutherland Springs got visitors from far away as England, Canada, and Mexico just to bathe in the springs! Don't you wish that it could be restored, and you could just bathe and get well and not have to take any distasteful medicine?

Sutherland Springs was the county seat until they moved it to Floresville. The citizens of Sutherland Springs were outraged, so an election was held to select a site within five miles of the center of the county. The town lost the election. Sutherland Springs became the county seat again for a few months in 1871.

There was a fifty-two-room hotel there called, “Hotel Sutherland.” The hotel cost approximately $50,000. Fifty-two rooms were well furnished with every modern convenience, such as running water, the newest design in commodes, sewage, and a Delco System in a tin barn behind the hotel which held a generator. This supplied electricity for the whole hotel. This was very modern for the year 1910!

Signs throughout the hotel said, “Largest group of mineral springs in America – sulphur, iron, and sour!”; “Please don't spit or throw ashes on the floor!”; and more. A pamphlet made in the hay-day of the Springs told of the twenty-seven different varieties of minerals, both hot and cold. The most beautiful spring was the white sulphur; so clear, one could see the grains of sand in the bottom. The black sulphur pool was the strongest in healing. It was said that if women went in the black sulphur pool, it would damage their skin. There was a seltzer and a chalybeate well. "The springs were called “aqua suforsa” by the Spanish, meaning “medicine in water.” They thought it had bleach in it. Infected sores would heal in a week, with just one bathing on the weekend," wrote Sandra L. Shaw.

The resort and town declined with many events happening. In 1913, the river flooded over its banks into many homes; doing much damage to the park and filling the pools with mud. In 1919 during World War I, there was an outbreak of flu. People lost one or two children in the family. A fire in 1927 burned down several blocks of the town. Last of all was the Depression in 1929, when many businesses closed. With each disaster people moved out a little at a time. By 1970, there were only one-hundred-fifty people left in the community of Sutherland Springs.

However, in 1989 the community had grown to about 700 people. Today there are sixteen businesses and a Baptist church. After interviewing the volunteers at their Historical Museum, I discovered that the people do care, and they are working on preserving the history and beauty of Sutherland Springs . . . making it even better than it was.

References

Benns, Teresa L.; “Canadian professor remembers natural healing pools”; Wilson County News; 11/15/95; pp. 1 and 31.

Brelsford, Bernice; “Sutherland Springs Once a Saratoga and A Long Branch”; Floresville Chronicle-Journal; 1/19/89; p. 10.

Executive Committee; Wilson County Centennial, 1860-1960; Floresville, TX; 1960.

Sheehy, John F.; From the Cibolo to the Brazos; 10/5/76.

Sprague, Karen and Steve; “Texas Ghost Towns–Sutherland Springs”; Virtual Texan; www.star-traveler.com/comm/virtual/springs.htm.

Stadler, Louise; Wilson County History 1990; Taylor Publishing Co.; Dallas, TX; pp. 11-12 and p. 163. The Sutherland Springs section of this book was compiled and written by Sandra L. Shaw.

Wood, Barbara J.; “Sutherland Springs, Texas Historical Museum” brochure; 1999

Interviews with Beulah Wilson of Sutherland Springs and Rita Braune of Floresville, 2/6/00.

Also, to my mom and dad for helping me write my page.