












Collaboration with partner: Hannah Williams During the late 19th century, Texas witnessed a statewide health tourism movement that persisted until the mid-20th century. Mineral wells became attractions for tourists across the country to come to the Lone Star State. Texans freely practiced their “right of capture”, which allowed landowners to collect groundwater from beneath their property, thereby accessing a free source of potential revenue. At the time, the activity of “taking the waters,” by drinking, bathing, or swimming in mineral water for one’s personal health became a popular practice. Wells in different locales contained their own unique mineral waters, believed to alleviate skin ailments, cure indigestion, or even promote bone health. Our exploration of the Texas micropolitan is focused on how the presence of water manifests itself in the town’s rituals, tourism culture, and identity.