Garland Mineral Springs

47° 53’ 19” N • 121° 20’ 31” W

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Timeline

Mineral Patent 1895

Garland Mineral Springs is approximately 40 privately owned acres nestled in the heart of the Wild Sky Wilderness in the Cascade Mountains in Snohomish County, Washington. With natural mineral water and soda springs, Garland has a rich history. Originally a mining claim established in the 1880s, it was developed into a full-fledged Hot Springs Resort in the 1930s. After a devastating fire in 1961, Garland became a family-owned private camping property.

Since 1953, the Sharpe-Moonie family has owned the property, and the heirs maintain its rich legacy. Here's what we have collected. If you have additional information, photos, and details to share please contact me at scs@garlandmineralsprings.com.—Stephen

  1. 1889 —1925  Dr. J. N. Starr locates the springs and builds the first cabins on the property. Read more about this early era in the 1923 memoir by Carrie Starr Weismann The Healing Power of the Water
    1. 1895 — Carrie T. Starr and Charles M. Hine secure a federal mineral patent for 39.86 acres for the Harriett Nomander Placer and Colton Placer Claims on the 24th of August  1885.
    2. 1896-1925 — Dr. J. N. Starr of Snohomish, Washington and his wife Carrie Starr Weismann obtain a land grant signed by President Grover Cleveland in May 1896 establishing the “Starr Hot Springs”. The property is also known locally as the “Starr Soda Springs”. 
  2. Early postcard from Garand Mineral Springs, Index Wash.

    1926-1942 - A. H. “Bert” Garland from Wenatchee expands the property into the full spa-resort. He builds a 22 room lodge, 25 cabins, a heated pool, and related facilities. The property is renamed “Garland Mineral Springs” and prospers as a resort through the Depression.

    1. A. H. “Bert” Garland has been referred to as a “Prospector”.
    2. There is an A. M. “Bert” Garland of Wenatchee who may be the same person.
      1. A. M. “Bert” Garland owned The Garland Building at 111 Orondo Avenue in Wenatchee. Built in 1922 it housed the Orondo Recreation Club with a billiard room in the basement, a card room, a tobacco shop, and a lunch counter on the main floor, and apartments/sleeping rooms upstairs.
      2. A. M. “Bert” Garland and Al Roth purchased Miller’s bottling works in Wenatchee. Miller’s Bottling Works originally bottled Olympia Beer and later soft drinks and possibly mineral water. 
    3. In the article 100 Years of Fascination published in the Monroe Monitor in July 1985 they report that in 1932 the land was purchased by Charles Garland, Fred Monroe, both of Wenatchee, and Will Jorgenson of Everett. We are looking for confirmation of the relationship (if any) between Charles Garland and A. M. “Bert” Garland. We do know in 1922 A. M. “Bert” Garland sold the The Garland Building in Wenatchee to a Charles Garland.
    4. 1935 and 1937 Catholic Northwest Progress ads for Garland Mineral Springs advertised mineral water cures, doctor in attendance. Garland water is promoted as beneficial for diabetes, arthritis, and other ailments.
      1. 1935 advertisements mention Mrs. J. M. Lippert Manager
      2. 1937 advertisements mention W. L. Kaupp Manager and Ted Dash Masseur- Read more in the brochure from this era Garland Famous Mineral Springs
  3. 1943-1950 - Cecil Guy Evans, Index, Wash. - Evans was specifically the named operating contact during WWII. Cecile Evans Lindquist’s obituary says she was the daughter of Cecil Guy Evans and Anne Marie Coles Evans and “spent her early years at the family’s resort, Garland Mineral Springs.” There is also a federal record: S. Rept. 78-616, “C. Guy Evans, Garland Mineral Springs, Index, Wash.” dated December 17, 1943. It relates to a private relief bill, S. 1589, for C. Guy Evans specifically “for relief of C. Guy Evans, Garland Mineral Springs, Index, Washington.” This may relate to a damage/loss/payment claim connected with military use of the resort. During the war Garland was used as either a:
    1. Coast Guard training camp
    2. U.S. Navy radio School
    3. Rehabilitation Center.
  4. 1951-1952 - Ralph & Ruth E. Taylor, Wenatchee Wash. - Ralph was listed as the owner of Garland Mineral Springs in Washington State mining/mineral-operation directories mailing address — Box 1135, Wenatchee, Washington. Taylor's operation was described “in current production” under the product category of mineral water. The DNR mining-operation directories treated Garland not just as a resort, but as a mineral-water production operation.
    1. Ralph Taylor was recognized by the state as operating Garland’s mineral water resource commercially or semi-commercially in the early 1950s
    2. After the sale of the resort the Taylors kept a 100 feet by 300 feet tract at the Northwest corner of the property on the North side of the Forest Service Road. This hold-back reduced the size of the property by 0.69 acres. 
  5. 1953-Current - Sharpe/Moonie -  On March 2nd, 1953 the Reverend Cameron A. Sharpe with his wife Medora and her sister Laura Mae Mooney purchased Garland Mineral Springs. The operated the resort until the fire in January 1961 when the resort operations were discontinued. All three owners have passed their shares down to family members who now own 100% of Garland Mineral Springs, LLC the owner of the property. 
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