You do have to love the simplistic way that places were named years ago. Mineral Wells, Texas, got its name simply from the many wells drilled in the area where the water contains minerals. One of the major minerals is lithium.
Its reputation as a place to get healthy started with the story that a “crazy woman” drank water and, likely because of the lithium, she calmed down. It is also said that the healing waters helped cure rheumatism for a settler, Mrs. Lynch, in 1877, so the area soon got the reputation as a wellness area, culminating with the town being officially designated as the “Wellness Capital of Texas” in 2023.
With a population of 14,831 in 2020, Mineral Wells is located at the intersection of Highway 180 and 281. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the Crazy sign across Highway 180. It’s a 2020 reproduction of the original sign which was removed in 1958.
Here are a few places you can check out on your way through or for a short stop:
Mineral Wells Water Company – 209 NW 6th St., Mineral Wells, TX 76067
Do you want to find out if the mineral water can help your wellness journey? Today you can taste the “Crazy Water” at the Mineral Wells Water Company store. There are four dispensers of water that you can test to taste the differences. Then you can buy some if you’d like. There’s also a soda fountain area where you can choose the flavor you’d like added to the water to have a drink. The best part is, if you find you really like the water (we like #3, it tastes just like good well water) it’s available across the country now and you can check their product locator to find it near your home.
Mineral Wells Fossil Park – 2375 Indian Creek Rd., Mineral Wells TX 76067
Wellness can be found in the exercise you can get by looking for fossils. You can find fossils from the Pennsylvanian Period at this FREE park! The area used to be the old landfill and erosion started revealing tiny fossils. They are literally everywhere. However, they are very tiny, like ¼ inch or so, so you can easily overlook them if you think you are looking for three- or four-inch fossils. It’s a short walk down into the pit and you need to go slowly and carefully, but once down at the bottom you can look for fossils on the flat ground. You do need to bend down close to the ground to see them. You’ll want something like a ziplock sandwich bag to put them in because they really are too small to put in a larger bag, and would be easy to lose. There’s also a shaded picnic table on site so you can take a break, eat your picnic lunch, and get right back out looking for fossils.
The Baker Hotel and Spa – 201 East Hubbard St., Mineral Wells, TX 76067
Another wellness experience coming soon! While it’s not currently open, the Baker Hotel and Spa is worth a drive-by. It was opened in 1929 and was quite the destination, hosting regular folks as well as famous ones such as Judy Garland and Lawrence Welk. Unfortunately, it closed in 1972 but it is now undergoing restoration in anticipation of opening in the spring of 2026. For now, you can’t miss its towering presence in town and can drive by it to see how grand it once was and imagine how magnificent it will be after the restoration. A spa utilizing the area’s mineral waters is included in the plans. Sign up for updates on their website so you’ll know when it re-opens.
Lake Mineral Wells State Park – 100 Park Road 71, Minerals Wells, TX 76067
As you can see, “wellness” can come in a variety of ways and experiences. Which one do you think you’d enjoy best?
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