A History of Dead Indian Soda Springs
by Edward Demmer December, 1960
a term paper presented to Dr. Francis Haines, Southern Oregon College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the class History of the Pacific Northwest
author lived and worked at Dead Indian Soda Springs for 3 summers, hearing old stories, legends and peoples' names
Dead Indian Soda Springs first included in Cascade Range Forest Reserve, September 28 1893--withdrawn March 3, 1907. under Crater National Forest July 1, 1908 until July 8, 1932 when reorganized into Rogue River National Forest.
mineral springs water varies in strength from time to time (water was riled up during San Francisco earthquake in 1906). 16 minerals: metaboric acid, arsenic acid, silica, sulphuric acid, bicarbonic acid, nitric acid, chlorin, iron, calcium, sodium, and lesser minerals, with carbon dioxide making it appear fizzy like a soft drink.
possible first white men were Jesse Applegate and a man named McCall in 1870.
first record of a visitor to Soda Springs was 16-year-old J.H Tyrrell in 1871. many versions of why called Dead Indian... Henry J. Ammerman furnished money to build mill located in Ashland under a large oak tree near present entrance to Lithia Park plus 3 wagons and 18 oxen to transport flour to Yrek--nearest market. Harvey Oatman in charge of train and drove the lead wagon. other wagons driven by Daniel P. Brittain and a Mr. Livingston--attacked by renegade Indians from Klamath country: Oatman escaped, Livingston was killed, wagons were burned after emptied of flour (wanted the bags) and took 12 oxen. Oatman found Brittain and returned. Capt Wm Rockefeller recruited a force to track down fugitives, finding 3 Indians dead (by another Indian band)-->spot found called "Dead Indian Prairie" and "Dead Indian" applied to the creek on the headwaters......2nd version: farmers out riding found some Indian graves and callled that country Dead Indian Country, believed Indians died from smallpox. there are other versions explaining name...
Charles Wilkinson was deputy forester, or smokechaser. set up store and eating place. later sold to John Tyrrell, son of J.H. Tyrrell who was believed to have discovered the soda springs.
Lou Bean rancher in 1920 did first commercial use of the mineral water--bottling it for sale to Brown's Tavern. sold water rights to Clarence Pierce, who sold the water around Medford (people bought the water for medicinal value)
turned into a resort area, with picnickers and campers coming, too. later, Methodists turned into a churchcamp and trying to change name to Indian Springs.
1936 Civilian Conservation Corps constructed campground facilities with kitchen, stoves, tables, toilets and a campground, with Tyrrell improving his resort there plus garden, cows, chickens and a swimming pool. Tyrrell sold to California-Oregon Power Company
Dead Indian Soda Springs Spike Camp 1938-1940: mess hall, bathhouse, crew tents as they cut the right of way land for road improvement into Dead Indain Soda Springs. found some Indian relics on John Walsh place
1955 flood, Creek jumped banks and destroyed much of work done by Civilian Conservation Corps