Lake Mineral Wells State Park is located along Rock Creek, a large tributary of the Brazos River. This area was an early home to several Native American tribes including the Comanche.
White settlers began arriving in the early 1850s, and intermittent warfare occurred until the late 1870s. Rugged terrain and lush native grasses attracted many early-day ranchers to this area, including Charles Goodnight, Oliver Loving and C. C. Slaughter, who ran large herds of Longhorn cattle. Ranching continues to be an economic mainstay of this area.
In 1877, James Alvis Lynch settled this area on the spot of land that is now Mineral Wells. In 1880, a well was drilled on the land. Mrs. Lynch suffered from rheumatism, but after drinking the water from the well, she was not bothered with rheumatism any more. The well water seemed to have "curative powers". This began Mineral Wells' tumultuous affair with water and quickly became a world renowned health resort. The purported curative effects of the local well water brought people from all walks of life to bath and take "the cure."
The city of Mineral Wells became too large for Lake Pinto, the town water supply, so in the late 1910's plans were laid for another lake East of town. In 1922 Lake Mineral Wells was completed.
In 1963 the city of Mineral Wells found a better water supply and ceased using Lake Mineral Wells as the main city water supply.
In 1975, after the closer of Fort Wolters, the city of Mineral Wells and Fort Wolters donated the lake and acreage around the lake to the Texas Parks and Wildlife. On July 1, 1981 Lake Mineral Wells was opened as Lake Mineral Wells State Park.
You will not have to pay the entrance fee to get this cache. TPW Geocaching Permit is on file with the Park Ranger Office.
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