Pagosa Springs Biography
Where Can you go for a dream vacation?

By Margret Mathers Special to the Daily Times

In spring and summer, you can play golf, go fishing and boating at any one of a number of lakes, hike in at least two national forest, kayak or raft on the river, or ride a hot air balloon.

In the fall, you can refresh your soul with the myriad resplendent colors put forth by the aspen trees.

In winter, there's down-hill skiing at Wolf Creek and Purgatory, cross-country skiing all over the countryside, snow mobiles, sleigh rides and - in early February - Winterfest!

Where can you find a starting place from which you are close to such wonders as Chimney Rock Anasazi Ruins and the Mesa Verde Cliff dwellings, two world-famous narrow gauge trains such as the Cumbres and Toltec and the Durango-Silverton, the Four Corners National Monument, two marvelous lakes, Navajo and Vallecito, and wilderness areas and national forests within walking distance?

And where - when you've done it all, seen it all, exerted muscles you didn't even know you had, gotten tired and hungry and totally wiped out with enjoyment - can you find lodgings in which to relax, fine places to eat, and - best of all - the world-famous body-soothing, mind-relaxing Pagosa Hot Springs?

Where else but in Pagosa Springs, in Archuleta County, Colorado, situated in the heart of one of the most beautiful places in America, in the stately San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 7,070 feet.

One source reports that early Native Americans gave this place the name "Pah-Gosa," from "pah," water, and "gosa" boiling.  Another source gives the etymology as a Ute word, Pagosa, meaning "healing waters."  Both are equally appropriate.   Evidence for the first inhabitants shows what appear to be summer camps dating back about 5,000 years.  Later arrivals probably live there only in the warmer months, winter being much too severs for those who depended on hunting for their living.  No matter what time of year the inhabitants were there, the natural hot springs were undoubtedly a very eagerly sought drawing card.

In historic times, it was reported that in 1867 a battle was fought for ownership of the springs between the Utes and the Navajos.  Both tribes naturally wanted use of the springs - probably exclusive use - and after a day-long fight with indecisive results, each side picked a single champion to decide the outcome.

The Navajos picked their biggest and strongest man to fight for them.  The Utes didn't pick one of their own, but a friend of long-standing, and an unyielding foe of the Navajos, Colonel Albert Pfeiffer.   Pfeiffer won the knife fight and the Navajos admitting defeat, left the springs to the Utes.

Unfortunately for the Utes, their exclusive rights soon ended , as under the BrunotTreaty, of 1873 they were forced to cede all their lands in the San Juan region, including their wonder hot springs, to the U.S. government.

Cabins were built in early 1876 but, because of the severe winters, were occupied only in more temperate seasons.   Toll roads to Silverton went through the area and word of the natural wonder spread.  Many were sure that the springs would make the town and its people both rich and famous, certain that the healing waters rivaled any of the famous spas in Europe.

John Macomb wrote, "It can scarcely be doubted that in future years it will become a celebrated place of resort, both for those who reside in the surrounding country and for wonder-hunting, health-seeking travelers from other lands."  And "There is scarcely a more beautiful place on the face of the earth."

The main spring belonged officially to the U.S. government, and their plan was to build Fort Lewis at the site and to bring "invalid soldiers in to take the curing waters."  Civilian visitors had to use private bath houses, of which it was speculated that "there might be more private bath houses than people in Pagosa."

The first public bath house was ready for use in 1881, built by Thomas Blair and known as "Blair's Plunge."   Residents were hopeful that the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, now with a spur only 27 miles away, would soon join Pagosa to the rest of the world.

Gold and silver strikes nearby, logging, coal mining - all these helped increase the population, but there was a set-back when Fort Lewis made the decision to move farther west, and with it went the Indian agency and the soldiers and civilians connected with the Fort.  The railroad, lost interest, and many of the residents felt the need to move on to places that offered more scope for speculation.

The Pagosa Springs company was formed in 1883.  They acquired control of the main spring and Blair's Plunge (Blair didn't have legal title).  By 1888 a second bath house was added and in 1890 a men-only bath house was put in.

Also in 1890, a weekly newspaper was available, the Pagosa Springs News, and the first church was built.  By 1895, the place was showing energetic growth, now having a population over 1,000. 

In the spring of 1896 a brochure was published touting "Pagosa Hot Springs, The Carlsbad of America, Archuleta County, Colorado," "Compiled With Highest Regard for Facts From Official Government Reports and Other Authentic Sources."

To get to this wonder, one was advised "Take the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad to Lumberton, N.M., then the Rio Grande and Pagosa Springs Railroad and Stage."

One of the purposes of the brochure was to encourage people to settle in Pagosa Springs.  Listed as "A FEW THINGS NEEDED" were:

• A concentration works at Elwood.
• A $20,000 hotel.
• A more perfect system of irrigating ditches.
• A banking Institution; not one in the county.
• Homesteaders on our rich agricultural lands.
• A plaster mill; thousands of acres of gypsum.
• A bottling works to handle Pagosa Springs' wonderful water.
• A creamery; a splendid cattle country, and unequaled market.
• Gravitation water system; no expense for construction except mains.
• A flouring mill; the same water power being used for electric light.
• A boring plant for oil, gas and artesian water, and whatever of value may underlie a flat formation.

Naturally, the strongest selling point of Pagosa Springs was the curative properties of the hot springs themselves.  The waters were chemically analyzed and compared, most favorably, with those of other well-known curative springs.

Dr. J.L. Weaver, a surgeon of Hospital Western Branch National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers at Leavenworth Soldiers' Home in Kansas, reported to Colonel Andrew J. Smith, Governor of the hospital, in November of 1890, "In obedience to your order, I proceeded June 23rd to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, with nineteen men selected  for treatment at that point.   Before leaving, careful clinical history of each individual had been prepared.   In the nineteen cases selected, care was exercised that while no prejudice should be done the experiment by sending hopeless incurables, yet that they should be such cases as had failed to yield to the usually accepted remedial agents.  The entire length of time during which any of these men were at Pagosa was from June 23rd to October 18th, 1890."

Part of his report stated, "The result has far exceeded my expectations: with few exceptions they have returned greatly relieved of their pains; several who had almost immovable joints now find them supple and are able to work: others are convinced that a long residence would result in recovery."

At another time he, added that he believed the waters "a;;likeable and advantageous in every class of disease where a thermal alkaline purgative water is indicated," saying that he has "as much reliance on Pagosa as a health resort, from its peculiar position as to altitude and surroundings (pine forests, etc.), in which respect it is superior to Carlsbad, and infinitely more so to every other thermal spring in this country, not excepting the much vaunted Hot Springs of Arkansas, the waters of which have not the virtues of Pagosa as a thermal alkaline purgative, nor has it the advantage of altitude or climate possessed by Pagosa Springs."

The facsimile brochure has a list of "LEADING BUSINESS FIRMS OF PAGOSA SPRINGS."  They provide an interesting clue to what was considered important 1896.  There was Gean Gross, of Gross' Grand Opera House; A.D. Garvin, County Sherill and tourists' guide; Mrs. M.M. Cade provided "First-class accommodations" at the San Juan Hotel; Mrs. Lizzie Dunivant was a "Dealer in fine millinery," including "Laces and Ribbons"; and the only doctor listed was Dr. Mary Winter, "Calls answered at all hours."  One can't help wondering if she was the prototype for Dr. Quinn.

An examination of the table below will show the character of the diseases the men had who were sent to Pagosa Springs to be treated.

Rheumatic cases