The Ozarka Company and the new Basin Park Hotel, both managed by William W. Duncan, printed this very early 6.25″x14″ fold-out health travel and tourism brochure. The spring water company began operating under him in 1905 and the hotel opened the same year. Duncan purchased the water company from John S. Tibbs, renaming the water product “Ozarka.” He was also major shareholder in the hotel. Guessing from the appearance of the automobiles (and horse carriage) in the hotel illustration, this was published not too long after 1906, after the creation of the iconic “Ozarka Girl” used in advertising, and the introduction of both carbonated Ozarka water and Ozarka brand ginger ale.

Did the spring waters of Eureka bring about the miraculous cures claimed by visitors and residents of the late 1800s and early 1900s? Certainly the characters in the People of the Water Cycle would say so. But besides the scientific analysis of the United States Geological Survey of its mineral content, was there evidence?

I’ll look into that in a future post!

(Scans of original brochure by me. Click to see larger images in a new window.)