Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Marlin Texas Hot Wells 1930s Old Antique Vintage Postcards

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Last time we covered the mineral baths in Mineral Wells Texas so today we will move down the road a bit to Marlin Texas, the "Official Mineral Water City of Texas", which is the county seat of Falls County. The post office was established in 1851 and the town was incorporated in 1867. The first railroad into town was the Houston and Texas Central Railway in 1871 followed by the International Great Northern in 1901. In 1892, hot mineral water was found while searching for an artesian well and Dr. J. W. Cook began to promote Marlin as a health center and the Bethesda Bathhouse, Majestic Bathhouse, Imperial Hotel, Torbett Hospital and the pavilion for the flowing hot water fountain were quickly established. Dr. Frank H. Shaw established a crippled children's clinic in 1925 which provided treatment and therapy for handicapped children and victims of polio and arthritis using the hot mineral water in a swimming pool and other muscle building therapy. The first post card is a 1920s Albertype postcard showing the Majestic Hotel, Hotel Imperial and Torbett's Sanitarium in downtown Marlin.

The second view is a 1936 Curt Teich postcard showing the Falls Hotel which had an underground tunnel connecting to the Buie Clinic, Marlin Sanitarium and Bath House which utilized the hot wells. Both of these postcards are available in my Texas listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! A sure cure for what ails you.

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