Hough Springs, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hough Springs
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Soda Springs and Grotto at Hough Springs
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 Hough Springs
Location in California
Hough Springs
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Lake County |
| Elevation | 1,535 ft (468 m) |
Hough Springs was once a popular resort built around natural springs. It is located in Lake County, California. It used to be called Hough's Mineral Springs.
Where is Hough Springs?
Hough Springs was found in Lake County, California. It was on a main road that connected Williams to Bartlett Springs. The resort was about 8 miles (13 km) east of Bartlett Springs.
It was also about 26 miles (42 km) west of the railroad in Williams. The springs are on the north side of the north fork of Cache Creek. The area around the springs widens into a flat space. Hough Springs is about 10 miles (16 km) north of Clearlake Oaks. It sits at an elevation of 1,535 feet (468 meters) above sea level.
What Kinds of Springs Were There?
Hough Springs had several natural springs. The two most important ones were:
- Soda Spring: This spring had water that was about 60°F (16°C). It produced excellent "seltzer" water. This water had a lot of fizz because of the carbonic acid gas in it.
- Iron and Magnesia Spring: The water from this spring was about 61°F (16°C).
There was also a well at the hotel that provided "iron" water. Another spring, a White Sulphur spring, was in the creek bank below the hotel. However, this one was not being used at the time.
History of Hough Springs
Hough Springs started as a resort in the 1800s. By 1910, it was big enough to host 100 guests. The resort had a hotel, small cottages, and even tents for visitors. It could welcome about 150 people at once. The Bartels brothers owned and operated the resort.
A post office also opened at Hough Springs. It operated from 1882 to 1892. It was closed for a short time between 1886 and 1887.
The Bartels brothers also found something interesting nearby. They discovered a deposit of mineral paint. This paint material was found on a low hill near Hough Springs. It was said to be very large, about 100 feet (30 meters) wide and 1,500 feet (457 meters) long. There were two colors of paint material found together. One was a burnt umber and burnt sienna color, and the other was a slightly dark yellow ochre. This material only needed to be cleaned and sifted to be ready for use as paint. People had dug pits and found the deposit was at least 10 feet (3 meters) deep. Small amounts of this paint were used around Hough Springs with good results.
