Soak up history at San Antonio county park

From luxury spa to county park, Hot Wells of Bexar County is the latest incarnation of a place that’s attracted visitors for more than a century.

Story and photo by Rebecca L. Bennett

From luxury spa to county park, Hot Wells of Bexar County is the latest incarnation of a place that’s attracted visitors for more than a century. 

Hot Wells is an artesian spring fed by the Edwards Aquifer. The well was originally discovered in 1892 and developed into a therapeutic resort due to beliefs that its sulfuric waters could heal diseases and improve overall health. 

After a fire destroyed that first hotel and bathhouse, local brewer Otto Koehler picked up the pieces. Under Koehler, Hot Wells enjoyed immense popularity and attracted affluent individuals and celebrities from all over the world with its 45 private baths, spectacles such as ostrich races, and events like conferences, concerts and parties. 

When World War I and Prohibition dampened the fun and Koehler’s livelihood, he sold the property. According to the county, it switched hands several times and operated in a variety of roles until fire and weather eventually had its way. 

In 2013, the well had to be capped due to “irreparable” damages. Shortly afterward, local developer James Lifshutz donated 21 acres of land including the Hot Wells ruins to the county so that the site could be transformed into a community park.

Officials invested $4 million into initial renovations to preserve the buildings’ structural integrity, install bathrooms, parking and lighting, construct an outdoor classroom, and connect the site to the Mission Reach trail system and ultimately to Texas’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site — the San Antonio Missions. 

The county plans to invest an additional $2.3 million to restore the north wing, and add gardens, a rainwater collection system, an aviary, a greenhouse, an interpretive center, a performance stage and related entertainment fixtures, and an office for staff.

Bexar County Parks Manager Ken McGlamery says it’s all money well spent. “From its early beginnings as a bathhouse and resort to the field headquarters of the Star Film Ranch movie studio, Hot Wells has been an icon for the south side of San Antonio… The history in this area is simply amazing and very much worth preserving.”

Hot Wells of Bexar County is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the winter, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the summer. It is located in Bexar County Precinct 1 at 5503 S. Presa St. 

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Texas