"Bright Mountain"

Welcome back to Family Trails as we continue on our trail back to Clairmont Springs. For the past two weeks, we have visited a favorite place for the Weaver family, but as we have dug through some books and articles, it is fascinating to learn that Clairmont Springs was a special place to many people  for generations, along with the Weavers. 

This week we are digging into an article from Alabama Heritage magazine, Number 42, Fall 1996, written by John B. Scott, Jr. The pictures used in this week's post are from this article, unless stated otherwise. 

Cover photo

Clairmont Springs is in a naturally beautiful area in the Talladega Mountains. It became a resort and spa for people seeking respite from city life and in search of the curative powers of the natural spring waters. 

Painting by Tom Conner of Montgomery, Alabama

Clairmont Springs train station (no longer standing)

At least 11 of the springs are encased in concrete basins for easy access. Each had a different mineral composition, providing a natural pharmacopoeia of chalybeate, magnesia, arsenic, black sulphur, white sulfur, alum, and freestone water.  

These next 6 photos are from my photo albums at my last visit to Clairmont Springs.

Three of the springs are clustered around the base of an old beech tree, and each flows out of an old-fashioned concrete box covered with moss and lichens. The back of each box is raised and inscribed like a tombstone. One bears the legend, "Arsenic," the second "Magnesium," and the third, "Chalybeate."Although within a few feet of each other, the water of each spring has a different look, smell, and taste. "

The swimming pool was a popular spot for generations, naturally since it was fed by one of the springs and was a great way to cool off during the summer heat. This picture was taken during the 1920's. For those of us who swam there in the '60's and '70's, it looked just the same, but without the slide. The sides of the pool were lined with individual changing rooms. I feel sure that one just did not walk from the hotel to the pool dressed in their their "kini!"

The hotel, as it looked in 1996.

Sadly, this is how I remember the hotel most of my life, very dilapidated and dangerous to enter. But I do remember the smell of fried chicken and wishing that we could eat dinner there in my early years. And I do remember "wash day" when the quilts and blankets hung off of these porch railings to dry in the summer heat. But the truth is… I really did not want to eat at the hotel. I knew deep down that I would have a delicious meal at Tee's cottage that could not even compare to the dinner at the hotel. It just seemed exotic as a child to get to eat there.  As children, we would pass by the old hotel several times a day as we walked to the pool or to see the train or to walk the paths of the old springs.  But our ultimate destination was Tee's cottage..our home away from home during the summer. So next week, dear Family Trails readers, we will take the familiar path down the gravel road to Tee's cottage at Clairmont Springs. See you then. 

Love,

Mariellan