Historical society will learn about Greene County’s early “fountain of youth” (and ask if there’s possibly another one)

At the Friday, Nov. 5, program of the Greene County Historical Society in Scranton, Mary Weaver of rural Rippey will tell of her home area’s Eagle Mineral Springs, which produced water so rejuvenating that the springs were touted as a local “fountain of youth.”

They were located on the pioneer farm of the Orman family, between Rippey and Angus in the southeast corner of the county. More specifically, they were on the north side of the Raccoon River along the Snake Creek bottoms.

Thomas Jefferson Orman, the second generation of the family here, was digging for coal in 1911 when he discovered the springs.  It produced what he said was “magic” water that “could poach an egg, dissolve nut meats, or make tea or coffee without heat.”

He and his wife Helen bottled and sold thousands of gallons of the water, continuing into the 1950s, and always hoped to develop a spa at their place. They did develop a baseball field – Thomas was quite a player — and picnic area there.

Weaver, who writes the “Hearth & Home” column on the historical society’s website, is fascinated by the folk history of the area and is an exceptional storyteller.

Her program in Scranton Nov. 5 will be a at the United Methodist Church. It will be preceded at 12 noon by lunch, which will cost $8 for members of the historical society or $10 for others. Historical society members should RSVP to our community contacts by Tuesday, Nov. 2. Others from the public are welcome for lunch, too, and they should reserve their places by calling program chairperson Margaret Hamilton in Jefferson at 515-386-4408.

The program, which will start about 12:45 p.m. is free and all are welcome.

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Calendar

November 2024

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
  • Java and Juice + Ribbon Cutting @ Root of Beauty
  • "When Electricity Came to Greene County"
  • "Disaster at 39,000 Feet" Enfys McMurry
  • Pheasants Forever Annual Banquet
2
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
  • Dia de los Muertos
3
  • Bomgaars Ladies Night
  • Ladies' Night at Bomgaars
4
  • Toddler Storytime
5
  • BPO Does Election Day Soup Luncheon
  • Brown Bag-Book Bundle
6
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
7
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Women Managing Farm Finances
8
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Oh! What Fun - Holiday Open Houses
  • Country Blessings: Holiday Hoopla
  • Ancestry After Hours (Ages 18+)
  • Greene County High School: Night Chills
  • Greene County High School: Night Chills
9
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Country Blessings: Holiday Hoopla
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
  • Tannenbaum Table Runner
10
  • A Talk by: Jacob Fernolz
11
  • Veterans Day Breakfast
  • VFW Ice Cream Social
12
  • Brown Bag-Book Bundle
  • Women Managing Farm Finances
13
  • Big Acai Bowls
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
  • Teen Scary Movie Night
14
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Women Managing Farm Finances
  • Greene County Community Theatre: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Abridged
15
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Best Practices for Wintering Trees
  • Java & Juice at GCP Iowa
  • Rotary Auction
  • Greene County Community Theatre: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Abridged
16
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
  • Macrame Ornament Workshop
  • Greene County Community Theatre: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Abridged
  • Teen Night Out with Board Games, Sports, and Snacks
17
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Eksphrasis
18
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Dino-vermber Day
  • Toddler Storytime
  • Can You Dig It? Dinosaur Program
19
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Brown Bag-Book Bundle
  • Women Managing Farm Finances
20
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
  • Teen Book Club
21
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
22
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Fourth Friday Fireside: Chad Elliot
23
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
24
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
25
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
26
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Brown Bag-Book Bundle
27
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open
28
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
29
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
30
  • Home Holiday Market
  • Auxiliary Holiday of Lights
  • Greene County Historical Museum: Open