By Rhonda S. Combs
Today, 119 degree water containing more than 50 minerals rushes
into a concrete tank with
”
Dec. 1930
”
etched onto it. Eight hundred years ago, the spring in San
Benito County served as the base of an ancient Indian settlement.
Local historians recount how Native Americans would walk their sick
brethren to the springs from as far away as San Diego.
By Rhonda S. Combs
Today, 119 degree water containing more than 50 minerals rushes into a concrete tank with “Dec. 1930” etched onto it. Eight hundred years ago, the spring in San Benito County served as the base of an ancient Indian settlement. Local historians recount how Native Americans would walk their sick brethren to the springs from as far away as San Diego. Mortar and pestles, a grinding stone, traces of scorched ground and fire pits, and a Native American skeleton have all been discovered on the property as recently as 2002.
The water that bubbles up from as far as two miles below the Earth’s surface is rich in sodium, sulfates, chlorides, potassium, calcium and magnesium. And Mercey Hot Springs, nestled in the grassy Little Panoche Valley about 45 miles east of Hollister, takes advantage of these naturally piping-hot waters by pumping them into an outdoor redwood hot tub, indoor baths framed by natural rock walls, and an outdoor swimming pool that stays warm throughout the seasons. Even the showers in the old bath house spray naturally heated mineral water.
The development of Mercey Hot Springs into what it is today can be attributed to the succession of owners who developed the property and springs since the late 1800s. Originally a shepherd, John Merci owned and occupied the spring.
In the 1920s, a man by the name of W.Y. Bourne bought the spring and began publicizing the medicinal aspects of the water. At that time, Bourne conducted a water mineral content study and began marketing the water through a nationwide pharmaceutical chain. A 1920 Los Banos Enterprise newspaper advertisement placed by Bourne touts it as “The World’s Greatest Curative Water,” capable of helping with rheumatism, malaria, stomach and kidney troubles.
Bourne is also responsible for encapsulating the natural spring into a concrete holding tank and advocating twenty-one day soaking treatments for healing ailments.
In the 1940s, Elise Swatzel purchased the springs from Bourne after she was amazed at how the soaking treatment had helped her husband’s arthritis.
Mercey thrived under Swatzel’s ownership, and legend has it that it became a popular escape for well-known Hollywood stars of the day, such as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. In the 1970s, Swatzel sold the property to Mural Lyle, a certified massage therapist, herbalist and author of the book “Endorphin Therapy.”
Lyle used the baths as part of a homespun prescribed endorphin therapy treatment. She believed that a person could heal him or herself by stimulating the brain to create endorphins – natural chemicals that function as analgesics when sent to body parts in pain. Lyle advocated the spring water and endorphin therapy as treatment for a variety of problems. And like the Swatzels, Lyle claimed to be catering to Hollywood actors and actresses that found Mercey to be an idyllic escape.
Today Larry Ronneberg and his partner, Grazyna Aust, own and operate the resort. When purchasing the property in 1995, Ronneberg was trying to balance restoring and operating it with his full-time, high-tech Silicon Valley position. In 1999, Ronneberg decided to leave Silicon Valley to dedicate himself full-time to refurbishing Mercey.
As Ronneberg explains: “We have been lucky to have these regular customers, old-timers, who knocked on our door when we first got here and told us all about their experiences here over time.” He and Aust are committed to retaining the early 1900s look and feel while continuing to provide the benefits of Mercey’s naturally heated mineral waters.
The springs are open to the public. Meanwhile, Ronneberg and Aust are restoring the buildings there, including an early 20th-century bath house with two private bathrooms and two private tub rooms. The owners are working on completing three empty rooms to make more private tub rooms available. Eventually, they hope to build more cabins and tubs.
Perhaps this dedication to preservation is what enables visitors to sense and feel the history that has unfolded in this desolate, mineral rich land.
Mercey Hot Springs is located in the Little Panoche Valley. Take Hwy. 25 south of Hollister and go east on J-1. More information can be obtained at www.merceyhotsprings.com or by calling (209) 826-3388.
