Tucked away in Millry, Alabama, Healing Springs was once one of the South’s busiest health resorts. For decades, people came from far and wide to sip from its bubbling mineral waters, hoping for cures that modern medicine couldn’t provide. Today, the springs still flow quietly along County Road 34, carrying stories of legend, faith, and Southern tradition.
A Place of Healing Since 1872
As far back as 1872, locals were calling this area a “health resort.” Seventeen different mineral springs bubbled up here, each believed to hold a cure for something that ailed you. Visitors swore the water worked as well as any doctor — a kind of backwoods pharmacy straight from the ground.
From Hotel to Resort
The first owner, William Wooten, built a small hotel and a few cottages for guests. In 1886, H.J. Pettus purchased 215 acres of the property. He originally came looking to heal himself — and when he did, he expanded the resort for others. By 1924, Dr. W.S. Knight added a second floor to the hotel and even built a swimming pool, turning the site into a thriving destination.
The Golden Years
During the 1920s and ’30s, Healing Springs was at its peak. Families packed the cottages, and bottles of the “healin’ water” were shipped all across the South. People swore by it the way they did grandma’s home remedies or a glass of sweet tea on a hot afternoon. For a time, Healing Springs attracted more visitors than any other health resort in Alabama.
The Legend of the Springs
According to local lore, an Indian chief was the first to discover the springs’ power when a sore on his leg healed after being washed in the water. Each of the seventeen springs carried its own reputation: Mound Spring was said to help skin troubles, Creek Spring aided the kidneys, and Iron Spring was the cure for chills and fevers.
A Quiet Place Today
The resort finally closed in 1957, but the springs never stopped flowing. If you walk down the path past the gate on County Road 34, you’ll still hear the water bubbling just as it did a hundred years ago. Today, Healing Springs is no longer a bustling resort — it’s a peaceful reminder of how deeply people once believed in the healing power of nature.
💬 Have you ever visited Healing Springs? Share your story in the comments below.