Institution

One of the longest surviving springs sites in the city, White Rock spring was located along the northern turn of the Fox River in Waukesha, just beyond the northern most end of Frame Park.Hiram Colver, a Waukesha lawyer, purchased the property in 1873 and began advertising the spring that year. In 1874, he built a pavilion over the spring site to protect the water from contaminants. This structure was destroyed by a tornado in 1876, but quickly replaced with a more elaborate spring house. Colver continued to improve the grounds around the spring, though left much of it in a natural state. Starting in 1879, a steamboat named the White Rock Steamer ran along the Fox River taking passengers from the downtown area up to the park in which the spring was located.In 1882, the business was purchased by Chicago Druggists Edwin O. Gale and William F. Blocki. They built a new bottling plant in 1883 to capitalize on growth through national distribution. The plant was placed along the existing railroad line. A bridge was constructed over the Fox River near the plant and new carriage drives were laid, making it easier to reach the park.Gale and Blocki sold part of their spring to Gales brother-in-law Charles E. Welch, in 1887. Welch built a beautiful home adjacent to the bottling plant, and moved his exuberant family to Waukesha. He increased production, and adding onto the bottling facilities in 1900. It was under his ownership that the company also acquired it's most recognizable attribute: the Psyche trademark. The company acquired right to Paul Thurman's painting of "Psyche at Nature's Mirror" at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The words "White Rock" were added to the rock upon which the winged-nymph knelt. Soon the sales of White Rock Water took off. Another innovation for which Welch was responsible for was the carbonation of the water and advertising it as a table water rather than a medical water. Sales of the water grew tremendously and in May 1906 Welch sold the company for $1,300,000.The National Water Company, a division of Wilson Whisky Distilling Company of Baltimore, ran the company for the next few years. Because of its extensive distribution system, White Rock was available worldwide and received numerous awards and honors from international expositions. In 1909, another addition was made to the bottling plant. This addition was remarkable and unique; built using reinforced concrete and modeled after an Egyptian temple. The Wilson Distributing Company ended its lease with White Rock in 1913, and the company was strong enough to stand on its own and eventually was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.White Rock in the 20th century capitalized on print advertising campaigns, with campaign runs in numerous magazines including Harper's Weekly and LIFE. There was also a large electric advertising sign in Times Square in New York City as early as 1911. White Rock Waukesha water was famously served at the coronation of King Edward VII, and President William McKinley's 1897 Inauguration luncheon. Charles Lindbergh even drank White Rock water before his famous Spirit of St. Louis flight. Although Psyche was a fixture of their campaigns, White Rock is also notable for using a modern image of Santa Claus before Coca Cola did.Business continued to flourish in the 1920s and 30s. During the following decades, business held steady with the competition of franchised drinks. In the 1950's, however, White Rock's share of the market declined. An attempt at franchising met with mixed results. In 1970, the company ceased operations in Waukesha. The White Rock Corporation continues however, today based in White Plains, New York. As of 2021, the company celebrates its 150th anniversary.The Waukesha buildings remained intact for the next 20 years, although they were poorly maintained. In 1993, they were nominated as local landmarks by the Landmarks Commission. The owners of the complex petitioned for demolition of the 1909 addition to the plant, and after a series of public hearings the Common Council overrode the decision of the Landmarks Commission and allowed the demolition to take place.In 1996, the owners asked for the rescission of the local landmark designation, and this was denied. They then applied for a demolition permit for each of the remaining structures. The designation was eventually removed and the badly deteriorated spring house and buildings were demolished.

White Rock Spring Company became Waukesha's most famous and well known spring, and is the only active brand that survives to the present day.Founded in 1871, White Rock employed agressive print advertising campaigns, becoming a major national and global brand in the 20th century. The trademark image "Psyche at Nature's Mirror" became one of the most recognizable trademarks in the world.In 1970, White Rock moved all of its operations from Waukesha to New York, where the company and brand still lives on today. The owners of the remaining White Rock buildings in Waukesha did not maintain the site, and had it demolished in 1996.

During the late 19th and early 20th century Waukesha became a wellness-destination for tourists. Hydropathy - or water cure - treatments had become rigor de jour in both the United States and Europe during the Victorian Era as an alternative to the interventions of traditional medical care. Wisconin's mild summer climate was especially attractive to tourists from Texas, Louisianna, and Mississippi.James K. Glenn, a New York millionaire, came to Waukesha in 1875 in search of a cure for his diabetes. Like countless others, Glenn relaxed and drank Waukesha's waters, and after a week he proclaimed himself cured. Inspired, Glenn wanted to join in the spring water business. He consulted Col. Richard Dunbar, a fellow New Yorker, and owner of the famed Bethesda Spring. At first Glenn proposed a business deal to become an agent selling Bethesda spring water in New York, but this deal never came to be.The Waukesha Freeman newspaper reported on October 7th, 1875 that a new spring had been "discovered" on West Ave. This spring was not in fact a proper natural spring where the water flows to the surface from a vein of groundwater, but a dug well. Glenn had purchased part of the property and dug the land down, so that it looked like a natural spring, surrounding it in limestone block. This spring was under a pavilion and was located behind a large office building with a sign “GLENN WAUKESHA MINERAL SPRING”. At the back of the building, there was a porch where guests could sit which later was enlarged to a small bath house. The property was surrounded by a white picket fence and included a second pavilion, which eventually became the location of the bottling plant, as well as a long driveway with boardwalk on each side and trees that eventually grew up create a canopy to shade the visitors. People could also access the park by renting a boat on the Fox River.   Within a few months from its initial purchase, everything was going well for the so-called Glenn Spring and it gained popularity. Trouble began in 1876 when Glenn started advertising the water bottled from his spring as Glenn-Bethesda. He claimed that his spring was the true source of the nearby Bethesda Spring, and therefore purer than Bethesda. Colonel Dunbar, the owner of Bethesda Spring, objected to the claim and name use, filing a lawsuit against Glenn for copyright infringement.Glenn attempted to prove that his spring was the true source of Bethesda by conducting an experiment to exhaust the flow of Bethesda spring. It is noteworthy that Glenn Spring is downhill from Bethesda Spring, therefore water would have to flow uphill for the claim that Glenn Spring was the source of Bethesda Spring to be true. This experiment failed, but Glenn would not be stopped. He proceeded to publish untrue and harmful claims about Bethesda Spring and Col. Dunbar in local newspapers. The people of Waukesha began to get angry with Glenn. Multiple additional tests were carried out to figure out once and for all if Glenn Spring was truly the source of Bethesda, and all of these tests proved that it was not. Finally, in an 1877 decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court it was decided that Bethesda was not Glenn's rightful trademark.Things eventually settled down and Glenn began to make up for what he had done, improving his standing in the Waukesha community. Glenn hired a businessman, Mr. N. H. Glenny, to manage the spring and Glenn visited the spring often during the summer months up until his death in February 1882. At the time of his death, James Glenn was fondly remembered by the Waukesha community, despite the earlier water fiasco. Glenn Spring was sold to new owners by J. K. Glenn’s window, Mary, their daughter, Cordie, and her husband, George.In 1883, Theodore H. Bryant of Chicago purchased the Glenn Spring for $30,000 and talked about improving the property. It ended up being only talk and after going into foreclosure in 1887, Theodore sold it to Charles Browne of Colorado for $40,000. This sale was voided by lawsuits. Mary Glenn purchased the spring again for $28,000 on May 20, 1887, allowing the bottling of Glenn Spring water to continue. Glenny was noted as the manager there in 1888. In July of 1891, Mary sold the Glenn Springs property to Roland R. Conklin for $15,000.          Prior to the 1893 Chicago Columbian World Exposition, James E. McCley purchased the Glenn Spring from Conklin with the intention of pumping water from a combined Glenn-Hygiea Spring reservoir through a pipeline to Chicago. There he would sell 'fresh' Waukeha Spring Water to the millions of projected attendees at the Exposition. However, residents stopped the pipeline and in the end Glenn Spring was sold with Hygiea Spring to J. K. Anderson.Anderson incorporated Glenn and Hygeia springs into the Waukesha Water Company. The public was admitted for free to the Hygeia-Glenn spring, making it a popular attraction. After six years, it fell into receivership and in 1900 a fire occurred in the Glenn Spring bottling plant.    Maps show that the spring was in existence until at least 1929, but shortly after the land was developed for homes. A reminder of the spring today comes in the form of a small alley named Glenwood Drive that leads from West Avenue to the Fox River. This alley follows the former entrance to Glenn Spring.

Glenn Spring was located on West Ave. next to Henk and Hygeia springs. Opened in 1875 by New York businessman J.K. Glenn, this little spring caused several controversies in Waukesha. The first was J.K. Glen's claim that his spring was the true source of the larger and more profitable Bethesda Spring.The second was during the early 1890's when the spring became part of the Great Pipeline Battle, to directly pump Waukesha spring water to the Chicago Colombian Exposition. The spring was purchased by James E. McElroy with the hope of pumping water from Hygiea Spring to Chicago for the World’s Colombian Exposition of 1893. The plan ultimately failed and the spring was sold, along with Hygeia Spring, to J.K. Anderson who incorporated the new Waukesha Water Company. Anderson opened the spring grounds for free to the community. The site remained through the end of the 1920's but was developed for residential homes after 1929. Today an alleyway, Glenwood Drive is a small reminder of the former Glenn Spring site.

The entrance to Glenn spring as seen in 1882 

Glenn Spring 

On December 13th, 1881, August Clemons and Maggie K. (Dambruch) Henk purchased property at 406 West Ave. in Waukesha. Prior to the purchase, August and his brother-in-law George Dambruch had a root beer bottling business in Milwaukee. George and Carrie (nee Henk) Dambruch, moved to Appleton and bottled root beer and eventually soda as the Appleton Bottling Works. Around the same time, August and Maggie moved to Waukesha, purchased the West Ave. property and immediately began improving and developing the natural spring into the Henk Mineral Spring.This spring, like the rest of the springs in Waukesha, was a cold spring, used by many as a source of drinking water. The Waukesha Freeman newspaper reported on June 15th, 1882, that the bottling of spring water and beverages such as root beer and ginger ale had begun at the site. The bottling plant was located at the back of the property, along the bank of the Fox River. A springhouse was built to protect the spring from outside contaminants such as leaves, dirt, and rain. The springhouse was an octagonal structure with a doorway protruding from it. This would later be changed to a simple A-frame structure.The 1890s proved to be a prosperous time for Henk Mineral Spring. In 1899 Henk was quoted saying that the company was putting out two train carloads of cases of products per week. The company bottled beverages and spring water year-round. They took advantage of the decrease in orders in winter to fill up reserves to ensure that they didn't run out during the summer when there was higher demand. At that time Henk Mineral Spring had 10 to 15 employees working for it. One of the Henk Mineral Spring’s employees, John Wheeler, was seriously injured in an explosion of a large generator in July of 1890. John Wheeler recovered from his injuries and went on to bottle his own soda. August’s sons William, Edward, Arthur, and Clarence were also employed at the bottling plant at some point. When August Henk passed away on August 15th, 1909, ownership of the company and property, including debts, went to his family. In 1918, August’s children involved with Henk Mineral Spring proposed changes to the company in an attempt to expand their reach and capitalize on the market in Milwaukee. To supply the Milwaukee markets, trucks would be run between Waukesha and Milwaukee. This idea never really got off the ground, and in 1919 the remaining members of the Henk family left the company.The company reorganized in 1920 and was placed in the hands of Milwaukee attorney Carl H. Jurgens. The new company was called the Crystal Crown Mineral Spring Co. This name lasted only a year, and in 1921 the name was changed back to Waukesha Henk Company, Incorporated. The company went bankrupt on December 22, 1922. In June of 1924, the spring and land were sold to a man named A.A. Andrews. The spring house and buildings were demolished, and the land was developed for residential use.

August Clemons Henk opened a mineral spring site here in 1881, part of the first wave of new spring businesses capitalizing on the growing industry of Waukesha. The site included a bottling plant, in addition to a spring house for visitors to 'take the water' directly from the spring. Bottled products included the bottled spring water, as well as other soda and mixer beverages. After August Henk's death in 1909, Henk Mineral Spring was passed onto his children. Attempts to expand and reorganize the Henk Mineral Spring, including a name change to Crystal Crown Mineral Spring Co., eventually failed and by 1922 the company went bankrupt. In 1924, the land and business were sold to A. A. Andrews who tore down the spring house and developed the land for other purposes.

Postcard showing octagonal Henk springhouse  

Henk Mineral Spring 

Opened in 1872, Hygeia spring was named for the Greek goddess of health and wellness. Opened and developed beginning in 1872 by Albert Carver and Edward Flannery, Hygeia Spring, named for the Greek Goddess of health, was located at the southwest corner of West and Wisconsin Avenues. The Hygeia springhouse, was one of the most opulent springhouse in Waukesha, and certainly one of the largest and most expensive. The pavilion was built from timber and plaster in the shape and style of a Greek temple, with rows of fluted columns, and a statue of the goddess Hygeia overlooking the stairway down to the spring. Slabs of local limestone lined the spring basin, with the spring itself lined with a circle of cut limestone. A pump powered by two steam engines could barely keep the tremendous flow of the water at bay during the installation.On May 20, 1876, Carver sold his portion of Hygeia to Flannery for $1300. In 1882, William H. Anderson, a man who figured prominently in many Waukesha springs, leased Hygeia for five years from Flannery. He had the building adjoining the spring made into an office and reception house. In 1884, Anderson left Hygeia when he was appointed manager of Silurian Spring. Flannery sold his spring to Camilla A. Smith. Her home still stands on the corner of West and Park Avenues.The Chicago Columbian Exposition drew the attention of companies anxious to attract international attention. Waueksha Spring company was among those looking for business opportunities at the event. In 1891, James McElroy, a Kansas City speculator living in Chicago, came up with a plan to build a pipeline from one of the famous springs in Waukesha down to the Columbian Exposition. There he would sell the water to the millions of visitors expected in attendance. After purchasing the Hygeia Mineral Springs, McElroy started his plan by filing incorporation papers for the Waukesha Hygeia Mineral Spring Company and the Waukesha Pipeline Construction Company in July of 1891. McElroy initially received permission from the village board to lay his pipes, but this was rescinded quickly as the people of Waukesha realized that it would be more beneficial to have fair goers come to Waukesha. At that time multiple passenger trains ran daily from Chicago to Waukesha. Nonetheless McElroy proceeded and with his pipeline plan, and purchasing the nearby Glenn Spring as well. A reservoir was constructed, drawing on water from both spring sites, that would supply the pressure for the pipeline. McElroy continued to execute his plan by purchasing land rights all the way to Chicago.Residents heard rumors that McElroy was continuing with his plan and Village President Sleep set up a watch at the spring to signal if anything was happening.  One Saturday evening in May 1892, while the village slept, a train pulled into the St. Paul Railway Depot with 300 laborers from Chicago, two cars of pipes, one of provisions, and one with horses to begin pipeline construction. They were quickly noticed, and the a fire bell began ringing continuously, waking the residents who mobilized and marched toward the Hygeia Spring carrying rifles, pistols, shovels, and pitchforks. The puzzled workmen stopped in confusion. They had been told they had to lay the pipeline in a hurry and expected to work on Sunday, but they had not been told to expect any opposition. County and village officials attempted to keep order, including local attorneys Timothy Edward Ryan and Theron W. Haight who spoke to the crowd and urged them to be ready and guard the spring, but to not commit any violence. Around 3 am the workmen withdrew, only to return again a few hours later. The alarm sounded again and another confrontation occurred, only this time a tall figure, 'Long Jones,' manager of Bethesda spring, explained to the foreman that they were not welcome and that he could not guarantee their safety. This time the workmen left for good. McElroy was arrested for disturbing the peace and was found to have $8,000 in cash and a revolver in his suit jacket.The battle dragged on for another year as McElroy persuaded the State Legislature to pass a bill allowing him to lay pipe through the grounds of the nearby Wisconsin State School for Boys. A trainload of 745 citizens headed to Madison to protest the legislation, and Governor Peck vetoed the bill, ending McElroy's plan to run his pipeline through the village.McElroy, not wanting to give up, purchased another spring just south of Waukesha in the village of Big Bend. He named this spring Hygeia No. 2, so he could claim the water came from the “Hygeia Spring in Waukesha.” The pipeline was laid from Big Bend through Kenosha and Racine counties to the outskirts of the city of Chicago. Because the city of Chicago would also not allow the pipes to be laid in its city, the water was then transported to the Exposition by tanker trucks. Sold for a penny a glass, the water was not received well at the Exposition, as the water had lost it's 'effervescence' in the pipeline and was described as tasting flat.  The Hygeia Spring was closed after the pipeline controversy. In 1896, J. K. Anderson, who had been involved in Silurian, Arcadian, and Lithia Springs and was the brother of William H. Anderson, purchased the Hygeia Spring that had once been valued at more than $1,000,000 for only $20,000. He formed the Waukesha Water Company with the purchase of Glenn Spring too. Anderson gained public popularity with free admission to the spring. Shortly after his purchase, Anderson proposed that the City of Chicago buy water using the old pipe line installed for the Exposition. Within six years the Waukesha Water Company went into receivership and company assets were sold off to pay the $50,000-$60,000 debt. Hygeia went through a series of owners without renewed success. The Greek temple pavilion was demolished in 1914.

Hygeia Spring, named after the Greek Goddess of health, was located at the southwest corner of West and Wisconsin Avenues. Albert Carver and Edward Flannery opened the spring in 1872, later selling the spring to James C. McElroy.McElroy intended to create a pipeline from Hygeia Spring to the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition, in order to provide Waukesha's renown spring water "directly from the source." While the village of Waukesha initially approved the pipeline, the community and other spring businesses successfully pressured village leaders to recind the approval. McElroy was determined to see his vision fulfilled and this resulted in what was referred to as the Great Pipeline Battle.

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White Rock Spring

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