Hope springs eternal
Mineral spring, park at heart of town’s history
by Sandra Simpson
Among the hustle and bustle of everyday life in southern Wake County, Fuquay-Varina residents and visitors often find themselves drawn to the solitude of the Fuquay Mineral Springs Park.
Although it’s less than an acre, the town park provides a modest outdoor respite where people can rest on a park bench and read a book, lunch at one of the park’s many picnic tables, or benefit from learning a little history about the large impact of this small mineral spring.
A welcome discovery
In 1858, while plowing the fields of their family farm, Stephen Fuquay and Davey Crocket Fuquay, great-grandsons of a French immigrant, uncovered the mineral spring. Like many of the mineral springs of that era, rumor spread quickly of its alleged healing powers, drawing many to drink the water.
Families from neighboring towns arrived by horse and buggy to cart home five-gallon demijohns of spring water. Some arrived by train from far-away destinations and stayed overnight, even weeks, just to “take the waters.”
Many local businesses prospered from the spring’s popularity. Around 1890, local businessman John A. Mills, then-president of Raleigh and Southport Railroad, had an idea that brought the spring to its peak of popularity. He converted freight cars to passenger cars in order to offer moonlight train excursions from the capital city to Fuquay Mineral Springs. As more guests came to the spring, a dance pavilion with a player piano was added. A group of small hotels and restaurants also sprung up. The spring’s Fourth of July and Easter Monday celebrations were especially popular for local residents and tourists.
A period of decline
During the early 20th century, the spring’s popularity began to decline. Automobiles became common, roads improved, and families began to choose the coast or mountains as travel destinations.
As visitors to the spring began to decrease, agriculture – and tobacco in particular – became the town’s catalysts for growth. Five large tobacco warehouses were built to support crops being sold at Fuquay-Varina’s markets, and freight trains became important for transporting tobacco out of Fuquay-Varina rather than transporting tourists into town.
Toward the end of the 20th century, the spring that once was vital to the town was buried under a dense thicket. After more than 50 years of neglect, extensive clean-up was necessary to be able to restore the spring to the picturesque park that now is the center of the Fuquay Springs Historic District.
Directly across from the spring is the Ben Wiley Hotel, a restored home that has been converted to apartments, and the Dr. Wiley Cozart House, which currently is the Fuquay Mineral Springs Inn and Garden.
IF YOU GO
The Fuquay Mineral Springs is located at 105 W. Spring St. in Fuquay-Varina. For more information, visit www.fuquay-varina.org and search for “mineral spring.”
Courtesy of Wake Living Magazine.
