Klickitat Mineral Springs facts for kids
The Klickitat Mineral Springs are located about two miles east of Klickitat, Washington. Here, a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2) naturally bubbles up from cracks in the basalt rock. Scientists believe this gas comes from Mount Adams.
As early as 1879, a stagecoach driver named Ed Phillips would make special trips to the springs. He traveled between The Dalles, Oregon and Ellensburg, Washington, and loved to collect the bubbly, carbonated water. One day, while digging around one of the springs, the ground caved in. Ed found himself in a warm, bubbly mineral bath! The Native Americans from the nearby Wahkiakus village already knew about these warm baths. They had even built special sweat houses using the warm, carbonated water.
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What Are the Klickitat Mineral Springs?
The Klickitat Mineral Springs are a unique natural spot where carbon dioxide gas comes out of the ground. This gas makes the water bubbly, just like soda! Long ago, people thought about building a health spa here. This would have been a place where people could relax and enjoy the mineral baths.
From Bottled Water to Dry Ice
Instead of a spa, a large factory was built to bottle the spring water. The plan was to sell this water to stores like Safeway. People liked the taste of the bottled water. However, there were problems. It was hard to keep the water clear, and the bubbles would soon disappear from the bottles.
After some challenges, a new person named Raymond Newbern was sent to look at the property in 1931. He was from a bank in Walla Walla, Washington. Mr. Newbern decided that selling mineral water was not a good idea for the future. Instead, he saw a great opportunity in making dry ice. Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and is very cold! Tests showed that the CO2 gas from the springs was very pure.
The Gas-Ice Corporation's Story
Mr. Newbern then signed a very long lease for the property. He started a company called the Gas-Ice Corporation. Over four years, they invested a lot of money, about $200,000, into building the factory and buying equipment. By 1936, the company started to make a small profit.
The demand for dry ice grew, so the company drilled more wells to get more gas. They also made the factory bigger. At its busiest, the plant could make up to 18 tons of dry ice every day! This was the most they could make because of how much gas was available from the springs.
In 1957, Mr. Newbern expanded his business to Kennewick, Washington. There, carbon dioxide was a leftover product from making ammonia fertilizer. In 1968, he sold his businesses, and the Klickitat plant closed down.
Current Use
In 1972, the Washington State Department of Game bought the property. Today, the area is a campsite run by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The main building of the old dry ice factory is still there. It is now a safe place for swifts, which are small birds that build their nests in the chimney.
