~by Chuck Offenburger for the Greene County Historical Society
At the Friday, Nov. 5, program of the Greene County Historical Society in Scranton, Mary Weaver of rural Rippey will tell of her home area’s Eagle Mineral Springs, which produced water so rejuvenating that the springs were touted as a local “fountain of youth.”
They were located on the pioneer farm of the Orman family, between Rippey and Angus in the southeast corner of the county. More specifically, they were on the north side of the Raccoon River along the Snake Creek bottoms.
Thomas Jefferson Orman, the second generation of the family here, was digging for coal in 1911 when he discovered the springs. It produced what he said was “magic” water that “could poach an egg, dissolve nut meats, or make tea or coffee without heat.”
He and his wife Helen bottled and sold thousands of gallons of the water, continuing into the 1950s, and always hoped to develop a spa at their place. They did develop a baseball field – Thomas was quite a player – and picnic area there.
Weaver, who writes the “Hearth & Home” column on the Historical Society’s website, is fascinated by the folk history of the area and is an exceptional storyteller.
Her program in Scranton Nov. 5 will be a at the United Methodist Church. It will be preceded at 12 pm by lunch, which will cost $8 for members of the Historical Society or $10 for others. Historical Society members should RSVP to our community contacts by Tuesday, Nov. 2. Others from the public are welcome for lunch, too, and they should reserve their places by calling program chairperson Margaret Hamilton in Jefferson at 515-386-4408.
The program, which will start about 12:45 pm, is free and all are welcome.
