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Southern Springs

Started by mcdonaat, August 03, 2012, 11:43:13 PM

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mcdonaat

I know of two springs located in Louisiana, both in the central part of the state. One, off of the old US 165 between Georgetown and Pollock, has a pipe coming out of the side of the hill, with water flowing; it has stopped flowing, though, due to the drought a few years ago.

The second is near Sicily Island, on LA 913 between LA 914 and 915. It's a gravel pullout, with a bridge crossing a small stream (footbridge) and some pipes coming out of the side of the hill. Both are really scenic, and I always carry empty milk gallons in my car to fill with the cold water.

Anyone know if anymore exist around the South?


O Tamandua

My daughter graduated from New Heights Christian School outside Bentonville/Centerton, AR.  If you watch the slide show on the front page, you'll first see a picture of a small bridge over a road, then see a stream with some structures beside it ending in a small barn-shaped building.  Right before that barn a spring flows that creates the stream, which flows under the small bridge in the first picture, then goes on to form Spavinaw Creek and then Spavinaw Lake, which is crucial to the City of Tulsa's water supply.  (The city used to get water just from the ArKANSAS River, leading to silt and minnows in residents bath tubs.)

Lots of springs in Arkansas, at least north Arkansas.

Alps

Quote from: O Tamandua on August 04, 2012, 12:39:26 AM

Lots of springs in Arkansas, at least north Arkansas.
Yeah, Hot Springs might have some.

bugo

There are probably thousands of springs in the Ouachitas in west central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma.

mcdonaat

Seems like Arkansas has quite a few, but I've rarely seen any in Mississippi or Alabama. I'm thinking of springs that are used by locals, and not the ones that have been transformed into resorts (cough cough, Hot Springs).

Urban Prairie Schooner

Isn't Hotwells (in Rapides Parish) some sort of a hot spring? I recall reading that it was some sort of health resort in the 19th century.

Not to mention Abita Springs....

bassoon1986

teeny tiny one off of LA 2 between Sterlington and Crossroads.

cenlaroads

Quote from: Urban Prairie Schooner on August 05, 2012, 05:51:53 PM
Isn't Hotwells (in Rapides Parish) some sort of a hot spring? I recall reading that it was some sort of health resort in the 19th century.

Not to mention Abita Springs....

The Hotwells resort closed in the 80s, I think it opened in the 10s or 20s.  I believe the springs are still active, though maybe capped.  Then there are Denham Springs, Krotz Springs, Greenwell Springs, Kentwood Springs

mcdonaat

Quote from: cenlaroads on August 05, 2012, 09:38:51 PM
Quote from: Urban Prairie Schooner on August 05, 2012, 05:51:53 PM
Isn't Hotwells (in Rapides Parish) some sort of a hot spring? I recall reading that it was some sort of health resort in the 19th century.

Not to mention Abita Springs....

The Hotwells resort closed in the 80s, I think it opened in the 10s or 20s.  I believe the springs are still active, though maybe capped.  Then there are Denham Springs, Krotz Springs, Greenwell Springs, Kentwood Springs
I know of Hotwells, Krotz Springs, and those towns with "springs" in the name, but I was talking about active springs that still run to this day.'

Quote from: bassoon1986 on August 05, 2012, 09:07:53 PM
teeny tiny one off of LA 2 between Sterlington and Crossroads.

Where at between Sterlington and Crossroads? Any Google Map shot would be awesome!

bassoon1986

i mean like a pipe out of the side of the ground. More like a dribble than a spring haha.  I'd have to be driving it to find it again because it's been so long. I wanna say it's on that duplexed section with LA 143 and it's in a very wooded hilly section on the north side. And there was possibly a tiny sign on the shoulder marking it?

mcdonaat

I'd invite anyone to visit the springs near Sicily Island. It's really, really scenic, and the drive along La 8 between US84 and La. 15 is super scenic, especially the 30's swing bridge over the Ouachita that has the original button copy Long-Allen Bridge sign.

cenlaroads

Quote from: mcdonaat on August 06, 2012, 12:50:46 PM
I'd invite anyone to visit the springs near Sicily Island. It's really, really scenic, and the drive along La 8 between US84 and La. 15 is super scenic, especially the 30's swing bridge over the Ouachita that has the original button copy Long-Allen Bridge sign.

Where exactly is that spring?  And how did you find it?  That highway is very nice; I think that entire part of the state, on both sides of the river, is very beautiful.  Too bad the bridge is slated to be replaced soon.

mcdonaat

Save the Long-Allen!!!! No reason to replace it; widen, yes, but don't tear it down. Historic and any new span would be a swing.

Travel east on La 8 from Harrisonburg. Take the first highway to your left, La 913, and continue through the Sicily Island Hills until you come across a pullout on the left. It's got a small dirt loop, with a metal bridge over the creek. Pedestrian pony truss, actually.

From Winnsboro, take La 913 to the right, and you'll see the springs on the right.

Edit: I left a jug of water outside, and it grew algae. Turns out that the water is pushed up from the river, and it even tastes like filtered cold river water.

US71

Quote from: mcdonaat on August 04, 2012, 01:39:13 PM
Seems like Arkansas has quite a few, but I've rarely seen any in Mississippi or Alabama. I'm thinking of springs that are used by locals, and not the ones that have been transformed into resorts (cough cough, Hot Springs).

Eureka Springs and Siloam Springs, though I'm not sure Siloam has any active springs at this time. Eureka does, however.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Alps

Quote from: mcdonaat on August 07, 2012, 01:14:52 AM
Save the Long-Allen!!!! No reason to replace it; widen, yes, but don't tear it down. Historic and any new span would be a swing.

Off topic, but it amazes me how many bridges are named after Huey Long. There are even four Long-Allen bridges.

cenlaroads

Quote from: mcdonaat on August 07, 2012, 01:14:52 AM
Save the Long-Allen!!!! No reason to replace it; widen, yes, but don't tear it down. Historic and any new span would be a swing.

Travel east on La 8 from Harrisonburg. Take the first highway to your left, La 913, and continue through the Sicily Island Hills until you come across a pullout on the left. It's got a small dirt loop, with a metal bridge over the creek. Pedestrian pony truss, actually.

From Winnsboro, take La 913 to the right, and you'll see the springs on the right.

Edit: I left a jug of water outside, and it grew algae. Turns out that the water is pushed up from the river, and it even tastes like filtered cold river water.

Actually, I believe the plans call for the replacement to be only two lanes.  Thanks for the info about the spring!

mcdonaat

I'll ask the DOTD about that, and see if I can't get a piece of metal or concrete from the old bridge, maybe even a piece of the old sign. It amazes me that the DOTD doesn't care about historic bridges at all, opting to replace them unless the public outcry is too much. Doomed is a bridge on LA 1177 north of Bunkie, whose 1919 bridge is about to be replaced (a one-lane pony truss bridge, constructed as part of the Jefferson Highway). Visit the Boeuf River, where there's enough truss bridges to make anyone excited.

us175

There's one on US 175 just west of the Neches River bridge on the Anderson County side between Frankston and Jacksonville.  Almost every time I've been by there, someone is filling up jugs.  I've had the water once, it's really good.  Fortunately, TxDOT seems to think it's important enough to save; when the section of US 175 between Frankston and Jacksonville does get widened, the plans/schematics call for a slight north bypass of the current river bridge and the spring area (before meeting the current ROW again west of the spring), and making a new turnoff/cul-de-sac -like place to go get your water, but I don't think it'll be made into a full picnic/rest area.  The spring is also the site of the only roadside litter barrel along US 175 (besides the ones in the 2 remaining picnic areas (1 will remain after the widening is *finally* done)) from the era of when TX had litter barrels (even by themselves in spots where there wasn't a rest/picnic area) placed along highways.
US 175 on Facebook and Twitter

bugo

There's a spring in Janssen Park in Mena, AR.  I drank water from it many times as a kid.  Now there's a sign saying not to drink the water, but it never made me sick.



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