Day Ten of the Ouachita Trail

Another zero day and I’m staying near Story, AR at the mid century modern Aqua Motel. Not the digs of the Queen Wilhelmina, but it has a roof, bed, shower, and laundry which is what I need. For meals, I call Lori and she drives the couple of miles from her Bluebell Cafe and picks me up and takes me back there.

I thought I might write a little history of Story, the town. So on our drive up to the cafe this AM I asked, “Lori, what’s the story with Story?” To which she replied, “Nothing.” Seems this unincorporated intersection of highways 27 and 298 has little to no history of any note. Its main claim, other than being a crossroads, is that it’s not too far from the western end of Lake Ouachita. Originally from Lubbock, Texas, Lori’s grandparents moved here because her grandfather liked to fish the lake. Then eventually, Lori’s mom moved here and bought the store/Café. And finally Lori moved here to take over the store from her mom. So that’s the story about Lori from Story.

The lake is the result of the Blakely Mountain Dam across the Ouachita River. Completed in 1953 after five years, the impounded lake occupies 40,000 acres of South Central Arkansas and it sees 23 million visitors a year. It was built by the Army Corp of Engineers.

But one side note on the building of the dam caught my eye. The land occupied by McFadden’s Three Sisters Springs Resort was acquired by the Army Corp as part of the watershed for the dam.

McFadden was the homesteader that discovered the three separate springs issuing forth near each other and claimed they had medicinal powers, each one different. By the 1930’s W.M. Cecil had purchased the property and had further refined what each spring would cure. Furthermore, he started bottling the water from the different springs and selling it nationally under the name World’s Wonder Waters. And, boy, could they do a lot. Here’s what they cure:

Spring 1: Brights Disease, diabetes, dropsy, pus in kidney, bladder and urethra, cystitis, enlarged prostate gland, paralysis, stones in kidney and other urinary troubles, changes of life and female irregularities, insomnia, anemia, high or low blood pressure, gout, hyperacidity, rheumatism, arthritis.

Spring 2: Chronic constipation, chronic indigestion, catarrh of stomach, excessive acid, gastritis, ulcerated stomach, poor assimilation and elimination, low blood pressure, gall stones, mucus colitis.

Spring 3: High astringent, quite constipating used only for flux, diarrhea, dysentery, cholera infantum and kindred troubles, bath for diabetic sores and eczema, granulated and sore eyes, catarrh of the head, nose and sinuses.

Luckily, the site for these miraculous springs was not inundated by the lake. In fact, they are part of a state park now about 22 miles away as the crow flies from where I am. Unfortunately, I will not be close enough to visit them on my travels. However, it is good to know that the springs still flow with their amazing iron tinge mineral water. Alas, the Worlds Wonder Waters is no longer available, but in 1927 would have cost you 10 cents. ($1.80 today).

Tomorrow I return to the trail for the final section of this trip, seven days into Little Rock. Stay tuned!

Until tomorrow, happy trails…