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The history of
our company starts in 1871, but the legend of our spring can be
traced back to the native Indian tribes who laid down their
weapons to take the waters here. In 1541, Spanish explorer
Hernando DeSoto named the area "The Valley of Peace" after
discovering warring Indian tribes sharing the "recuperative
waters."
Now known as Hot Springs National Park, the area is a protected
watershed famous for its warm thermal springs as well as a number
of cool springs. The cool spring that continues to draw nationwide
attention for its purity and unique mineral content is the source
of Mountain Valley Spring Water. |
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Originally sold as Lockett's Spring Water, it quickly established a reputation in the local area for its remarkable quality. Then in 1871, a pharmacist named Peter E. Greene changed the name to Mountain Valley Spring Water and began distributing it nationally. In 1879, he sold the company to W. N. Benton of St. Louis, who promoted Mountain Valley Spring Water as a cure-all. He's quoted by Hot Springs Illustrated Monthly as saying: "The value of the water has long been known, and the springs are visited by large numbers of invalids who fail to find relief from the thermal waters here, and are frequently speedily cured by the use of the Mountain Valley Spring Water alone. The shipment of this water to all parts of the country in barrels and bottles has become quite a business." |
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By 1917, Mountain Valley Water had become well known as a remedy in
the treatment of gout, rheumatism, diabetes, and kidney diseases. Some
even believed the water to be radioactive because of its unexplainable
curing properties.
In 1921, the first clinical studies were conducted to discover the
secrets of the water and its therapeutic effects. Many
hospitals, doctors, and medical journals claimed their patients
improved considerably after taking the water. Medical studies
continued into the 1930s until interrupted by World War II.
In the 1920s, Calvin Coolidge was the first president to enjoy
Mountain Valley Spring Water in the White House. In 1955, after
suffering a heart attack, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was
advised by his physicians to drink Mountain Valley Spring Water.
Both he and President Reagan used to take it on their trips abroad.
All told, 13 U.S. presidents have enjoyed our water. And in the United
States Senate, Mountain Valley Spring Water has been served since the
1920s.
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In 1966, Mountain Valley Spring Company
was purchased by a group of distributors led by John G.
Scott, who then led the company through strong growth for
the next 20 years. In 1987, Dallas-based Sammons
Enterprises bought the company and returned the
headquarters to Hot Springs, Arkansas. One of the
best-known structures in the historic Hot Springs downtown
district, the Mountain Valley Water building underwent
extensive restoration. Then-Governor Bill Clinton spoke at
the re-dedication ceremony in 1988.
To watch a television clip of John Scott on WABC TV in 1970,
Click Here |
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