Marshall County History: Pettijohn Springs, Pt. IV

In the spring of 1924, after practicing medicine in Madill for about four years, Dr. Chris Stevens decided to retire from the practice of medicine, and thus, he began looking for an investment opportunity in Marshall County. BecausetheStevens family was acquainted with Nannie Pettijohn through their church, Dr. Stevens was able to purchase seventy acresofNannie’sIndianallotment, including the natural springs.

News of the new concrete highway had already been released, and Dr. Stevens saw an opportunity to build an amusement park and have a peaceful life out in the country.

As first reported in the July 3, 1924, issue of the Madill Record, Dr. Stevens outlined his plan. In the story, it was stated that Dr. Stevens and his sons had already roofed a two-story cottage where the Stevens family would live. The cottage was on the north side of the road that ran by the park. The story also reported that the family planned to immediately begin construction of a “filling station” and confectionery. Dr. Stevens also planned for this service station to stock car parts.

In the fall of 1924, the Stevens family planned to begin construction of a “modern swimming pool,” with plans to open in the summer of 1925. They also planned on leveling the grounds, trimming trees and planting grass. They also began building campgrounds for tourists to camp out and stay for vacations and weekend retreats.

The article quoted Dr. Stevens as saying “I am going to set out grapes and berries on the hillsides, get me a few Jersey cows, some chickens and live contented and do what I want to do. I’ve been practicing medicine and going night and day and I’m tired of the strife.” He clearly wanted a nice country life in his retirement.

In August 1924, it was announced that Pettijohn Springs would soon be accessible by a new “concrete” road running from Madill to Russett in Johnston County. That same article further elaborated that the Stevens were nearing completion on the filling station, garage, and store and that the pool construction was about to commence. Further, the Stevens were close to beginning construction on a skating rink.The springs had been concreted, and other buildings were completed around the springs. It was reported then that the Stevens expected the park preparations would cost roughly $10,000. Accounting for inflation, that would be over $175,000 today.

In the April 23, 1925, edition of the Madill Record, it was reported that the “only pleasure resort and playgrounds in the Red River tier of counties of Southern Oklahoma” was nearing completion and would be open to the public. The plan was to open in May of 1925. Two “commodious two-story cottages”hadbeen completed and would serve as the home of the Stevens family. The filling station, garage, grocery store and confectionery were completed and opened. The swimming pool, measuring 120 long by 60 feet wide, was nearing completion. The pool, with a maximum depth of ten feet, six inches was to be fed by the natural springs in the park.

The pool held over 300,000 gallons of water. However, because of insufficient water flow from the springs, Stevens's initial plan of feeding the pool with spring water was abandoned, and a water line was run from the City of Madill to provide water for the pool. The pool was piped with both inlet and outlet water systems. The water was then drained every night and then refilled each morning to ensure the pool water was always fresh and sanitary. The pool also contained a “scum gutter system” to remove all leaves, moss, and other impurities or foreign matter from the surface of the pool.

The Stevens also built a large,modernbathhouseand dressing room building with sections for both men and women. The bathhouse had numerous dressing rooms andmodernplumbingincluding indoor toilets. The bathhouse was connected to the park’s private sewer system. The bathhouse also included showers and bathtubs so that swimmers could shower off beforeswimmingandshower or bathe after swimming.

Above the pool and separated by a double terrace the Stevens planned on building a dance pavilion with hardwood floors. The dance pavilion was to be 60 feet by 80 feet in size creating 4800 square feet of dance floor.

Atthelowerendofthepool, a lake was being constructed that would be used as a canoe course.Abovethecanyonthat breaksawayfromthesprings area, a dam had been built to create another lake that was stocked with game fish for park attendees’ fishing pleasure. On the north side of the hill above the pool past the two cottages, the Stevens were planning on building a “community kitchen” that was to be furnished free to tourists who stopped at the Pettijohn Park for the night or for longer stays. Playground equipment with “swings, see-saws and many other things” were located beneath the shade trees of the park. A dining room was being planned for tourists and people “who will want to spend a day out-of-doors.” And an orchestra was being employed to furnish music to park visitors.

Amazingly, the Stevens were also installing their own electric power plant to “light every portion of the park grounds.” They were also planning to install a sewer system making every building on the grounds modern with running water from the springs and sewer service.

Throughout the early part of1925, the Stevens had employed a “gang of men” who were working to get the place ready for opening in the summer of 1925. Both sides of the wedge-shaped cove had been cleared of underbrush and had been terraced. The hill on the south side of the highway had been planted in white clover. An orchard had been set out on the top of the hill and grape vines had been planted on the hillside. The Stevensalsohadraisedchickens in sufficient quantities to assure the tourists that there would be plenty of fresh eggs to purchase if needed. They also had Jersey milk cows to provide tourists with fresh milk and butter. All of which were produced at the park.

On May 24, 1925, Pettijohn Springs Amusement Park opened to the public., in what today would be called a “soft opening.” That is, the park was not complete, but enough had been completed that it was decided to go ahead and open.

At the opening, one of the promisedfeatureshadnotyet been built. Although initially planned,adancepavilionwas not a part of the park at the opening. Time and money had prevented the Stevens family from completing this promised attraction prior to opening. However, even thoughnodancepavilionwas built, the Stevens regularly arranged for and provided live music for the enjoyment and pleasure of guests.

As soon as it opened, the park was a hit. Citizens from around the area flocked to Pettijohn Springs for swimming, picnicking and socializing. During the summer of 1925, the Stevens family arranged numerous special events, such as a large July 4th celebration that ran for three days, July 2, 3, and 4, 1925.

The July 4th three-day extravaganza was the official “GrandOpening”ofPettijohn Springs Amusement Park.

In an article that appeared in the June 18, 1925, edition of the Marshall County Enterprise, the following was written about Pettijohn Springs and the approaching “Grand Opening.”

“Come with well-filled baskets and enjoy an oldtime jollification where the air and water are purer than the very purest. Have you been out to Pettijohn Springs since that famous recreation place has been thrown open to the general public? If you have not, then you have missed something really worth while, something that is a credit to the city of Madill and something that reflects great credit upon its promoters, Dr. Stevens and Sons.

Pettijohn Springs is one of the old natural resorts of this section. Years and years ago, at the time when the red huntsman chased the panting deer across the hills and dales of what is now Marshall County, these springs spouted forth their cooling, thirst-quenching waters.

Itwasbeneaththeshadeof the giant trees which cling to thesidesofthegranite-ribbed bluffs which surround these springs, that the aboriginee (sic) warrior, during his hours of peace, wooed the dusky maid who later journeyed with him to his wigwam, there to make wampum and rear his children who with passing time would become warriors brave and bold.

Perhaps it was even to these springs down in the far-away Southland, that maiden of cold and cheerless Northland journeyed with her rover husband when she “left the old man standing lonely in the doorway of his wigwam, heard the falls of Minnehaha calling to her from the distance, crying to her when afar off, ‘Fare-thewell, oh Minnehaha, farethe- well,ohLaughingWater.

Bethatasitmay,however, be it that Pettijohn Springs is a spot that in bygones ages was rich with traditions, rich with the traditions of a people who lived, loved and died centuries before this day, the Stevens family has converted it into a pleasure resort that is not surpassed by any like resort in Southern Oklahoma, that is equaled by but a few in the entire state.

When Dr. Stevens and his sons began the work of beautifying the springs and developing a pleasure spot, with bathing pool and all modern conveniences, they were confronted with a gigantic problem, a problem that required and demanded a large outlay of ready cash, in addition to a stupendous amountofphysicallabor. But they halted not, hesitated not for a single moment. The springs as they gushed forth their crystal waters from the bowels of the earth, were cleaned out and piped to spouting fountains where all who cares to may sip the purest nectar known to man, pure water that has been stored by Dame Nature and purified by passing through natural filtration formations until it bubbles into the receptacles in beading volume of sweetness.”

The author of that piece was certainly excited about the park.

At the time of the Grand Opening, the Stevens had spent over $25,000. That would be the equivalent of $450,000 today.

Throughout the summer, attendance was impressive. Pettijohn Springs was a hit. Whenthesummerswimming season ended, Stevens had a problem that needed to be solved. Because he had not yet been able to build the planned dance pavilion, he needed a solution to allow him to have an attraction that would extend the park’s popularity into the fall and winter months. The solution was simple yet brilliant.

To provide fall and winterlong entertainment, the Stevens family decided to drain the pool and construct a wooden floor at the bottom of the pool. They then built a frame structure over the pool and covered the framing with a large canvas canopy. Electrical wiring was run into the pool, which provided lighting for late-night dancing and fun. Because of the depth of the pool, the main dance floor was mostly over the deep end of the pool, with the shallower end providing seating space for guests, as well as space for bands and orchestras that would provide the music for the dances.

After a fall and winter dance season, the first season of Pettijohn Springs Amusement Park was complete. And it was a success.

The house that Chris Steven built for his wife and sons is still standing today. It is nowthehomeofthePettijohn Springs Christian Camp manager and his family. Also, the original pool is still at the site. For many years it served as the pool for the Christian Camp, but because of maintenance issues, it was left to nature many years ago. Today, it remains full of water and aquatic life due to the springs, but it is now whatJedClampettwouldcall a “cement pond.”