Barger Springs, or Barger's Springs, known initially as "Greenbrier Springs," is a historic mineral-spring resort site located along the Greenbrier River and southeast of the "Big Bend" in the river in present-day Summers County, West Virginia. It was one of several that attracted tourists to the region before and after the Civil War.
Located roughly 10 miles south of the more affluent Pence Springs on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, Barger's became well known in the 19th and early 20th centuries for its medicinal mineral waters, scenic surroundings, and growing popularity as a seasonal resort.
Location and Geology
The spring emerges from a calcareous zone within the Indian Mills Shale of the Bluefield Group of the Mauch Chunk Series at an elevation of approximately 1,460 feet above sea level. Just upstream, the Raines Corner Limestone outcrops along the creek bed and contributes to the mineralization of the spring water. Contemporary observers noted a significant emanation of gas from the waters, likely nitrogen, carbonic acid gas, or hydrogen sulphide.
The site sits in an area of dramatic natural scenery, including cliffs, deep river bends, and the nearby Stony Creek Gorge, historically known for caves, isolated homesteads, and frontier-era events.
Early Ownership and Use
The earliest documented owner of the spring property was Isaac Carden, who managed the site as a primitive resort for hunters and trappers before the American Civil War. It has been suggested that native peoples valued the spring for its healing properties, but no such evidence exists.
For their accommodation, he built a double-log cabin connected by chimneys, along with a large hewn-log house and store with an attached dining room.
The property later passed to William H. Barger, who married into the Carden family and consolidated ownership through inheritance and purchase. In his will, he devised the estate—including the spring—to his son Wilbur Barger.
Civil War
The spring was not maintained as a resort during the Civil War and fell into disuse. Buildings deteriorated, and for 40 years, the area was used chiefly as a farm. The spring was covered only by a crude roofed structure during this period.
The region around the spring, particularly the Stony Creek Gorge, was a site of activity during the war. A group of Confederate deserters from Giles County attempted to cross the Greenbrier River into Union territory west of the spring. They sought assistance from Isaac Epling, who lived near a cave on Stony Creek and secretly aided them. Multiple deserters drowned or disappeared during their escape attempts.
Bargers Springs Resort
In 1903, renewed interest in the site emerged when T. N. Read, a Hinton attorney, encouraged a group of thirty men to visit the spring. This party formed a company with the intention of developing the spring into a summer resort and constructing seasonal homes.
Between 1903 and 1906, the company completed significant improvements:
- 1904 – A new tin-covered, circular spring house supported by concrete columns was built. Cottage lots were sold to prominent individuals, including H. Ewart, J. H. Jordan, C. A. Alvis, E. W. Taylor, W. J. Brightwell, T. N. Read, and Dr. W. L. Barksdale. A formal corporate structure was established with Jas. H. Miller was elected president, and C. B. Mahon was elected vice president. Andrew L. Campbell surveyed the resort grounds and laid out cottage lots.
- 1905 – A new hotel was constructed near the original log house, whose antique chimney (more than 100 years old at the time) was preserved as a historic feature.
- 1906 – Waterworks were completed: a steam pump conveyed water from the Greenbrier River to a reservoir supplying the hotel and cottages. During this period, the property was leased for three years to Messrs. Keatley and Bolton, who managed it as a summer resort. Additional cottages and a storehouse were constructed in 1906.
Expansion
The company gradually enlarged the resort grounds through strategic land purchases, including:
- Three islands in the Greenbrier River
- Property containing the Stony Creek Gorge
- The famous “Turn Hole.”
- 315 acres of river and mountain land near Big Bend Tunnel Mountain
This expansion created one of the region’s most scenic resort landscapes, marked by caves, cliffs, river bends, wooded slopes, and secluded hollows.
Local Historical Episodes
Several local incidents became associated with the Bargers Springs area:
The Jim Fisher Escape
A notorious horse thief named Jim Fisher once eluded a posse by riding to the mouth of Stony Creek Gorge, climbing a large pine tree to reach a cliff ledge, and escaping into the wilderness.
Although the posse recovered the horse, Fisher vanished. Years later, he was apprehended for forgery, sent to the penitentiary, and ultimately died after being shot during an escape attempt.
A Fatal Accident
In 1905, during a Sunday visit by young people from Hinton, a man named Carl Fredeking attempted to explore the Stony Creek Gorge. He fell from the rocky ledge into a pool below and died despite rescue efforts.
Early 20th-Century
By the 1950s, Bargers Springs had become a modest but well-known summer retreat for residents of Hinton and the surrounding region. Guests fished in the Greenbrier, camped along the banks, and sought the reputed medicinal benefits of the mineral water. The scenic location and mineral springs remained central attractions, reflected in marketing material of the time.
Mineral Water Composition and Use
Historically, the spring was promoted as valuable for chronic kidney, liver, and digestive complaints. The water contained dissolved minerals associated with limestone formations, and natural gas emissions were noted at the spring. By the early 20th century, the spring water was regularly bottled and shipped commercially, averaging hundreds of crates per week.
Barger Springs 2025
Historic structures at Barger Springs include the spring pavilion, stone stairs, walkways, and 14 cottages. Together, they approximate the association of historical structures established in the early 1900s.
