Pence Spring

From West Virginia (WV) Cyclopedia

The Pence Spring, at Pence Springs, WV, is a focal point within the Pence Springs Hotel National Historic District. Like many mineral springs in southern Allegheny Mountains region of Virginia and West Virginia, the Pence Spring's waters were believed to be imbued with curative properties. According to Judge James H. Miller, as set forth in his "History of Summers County, West Virginia," (1908), the spring was first known as Buffalo Springs and "was known from the settlement of that region, more than 100 years ago, and was then the resort for wild animals -- buffalos, elk and deer -- no attempt being made to advertise it until it came into the possession of Mr. A.P. Pence, who built, a few years ago, a commodious hotel, which is crowded every summer to its utmost capacity."

"Large quantities of this water are now being shopped to foreign cities and markets, it having peculiar curative powers for certain diseases, especially of the stomach and kidneys," Miller remarked. In 1904, water from the spring was presented the highest award in its class and a silver medal at the St. Louis Exposition, and Pence operated a plant that bottled and manufactured ginger ale near the present springhouse.

According to Miller, a chemical analysis of the minerals present in the waters of the Pence Spring found 14.57 grains per gallon of sodium carbonate, 1.31 of calcium carbonate, 1.62 of magnesium carbonate, .29 of strontium carbonate, .06 of lithium carbonate, .01 of ammonium carbonate, a trace of ferrous carbonate, .05 of potassium sulphate, .68 of sodium sulphate, 2.04 of sodium chloride, .002 of sodium iodide, .05 of alumina, .43 of sodium sulphide, .4 of sodium thiosulphate, a trace of sodium phosphate, .17 of borax, .55 of silica, .0009 of ammonia, and .003 of albumenoid ammonia.