Excelsior Springs, Missouri

Excelsior Springs, Missouri is a historic city straddling Clay and Ray counties in the Northland, founded in 1880 after the discovery of mineral springs with purported healing properties. It quickly became a major health resort destination in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, attracting visitors from across the country to drink and bathe in its waters. The iconic Hall of Waters remains a landmark of that era.

Boundaries

Excelsior Springs is located approximately 20–25 miles northeast of downtown Kansas City, along the Fishing River, which forms part of the boundary between Clay and Ray counties.

• North: Rural Ray County areas
• South: Toward Liberty and the more developed southern Northland
• East: Fishing River valley
• West: Toward Kearney and other Clay County Northland communities

The city has a distinct historic downtown core surrounded by residential areas and some modern development.

History

Pre-founding and discovery (1880)

Evidence of human presence along the Fishing River dates back at least 5,000 years (Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian periods). In 1880, the area that became downtown Excelsior Springs was largely wheat fields. A reddish-brown spring water was noticed flowing from the banks of the Fishing River.

Siloam Spring was the first major mineral spring discovered. Local accounts claim that a farmer’s daughter suffering from tuberculosis was cured after drinking and bathing in the waters, sparking widespread interest in the “healing” properties of the springs.

Health resort era (1880s–1920s)

Word spread rapidly. The town was founded in 1880 around the springs. By the late 1880s and early 1900s, Excelsior Springs had developed into a prominent health and spa resort. More than 40 wells and springs were eventually developed, each with different mineral compositions.

Visitors included presidents, gangsters, and everyday people seeking cures for various ailments. The town built hotels, bathhouses, and related infrastructure. The period from roughly 1888 to 1929 is often cited as its most prolific era.

20th century and modern era

In 1935–1938, the city undertook a major Public Works Administration project: the Hall of Waters, an Art Deco building that became the centerpiece of the resort experience. It housed the world’s longest mineral water bar and facilities for processing and bottling water from multiple springs. The building still serves as city hall today.

While the health resort industry declined after World War II with changing medical practices, Excelsior Springs retained its historic character. The Hall of Waters, the Excelsior Springs Museum & Archives (housed in the 1894 Clay County State Bank building), and a charming downtown continue to draw visitors interested in history and small-town atmosphere.

Today the city has a population of around 10,500–11,000 and balances residential life with heritage tourism, agriculture, and light manufacturing.

Architecture + built environment

Excelsior Springs has one of the most intact historic downtowns in the broader Northland. Key landmarks include:

• The Hall of Waters (1935–38, Art Deco, National Register) — the most iconic building.
• The Clay County State Bank building (1894) — now home to the museum.
• Numerous late 19th- and early 20th-century commercial buildings along Broadway and surrounding streets.
• The Elms Hotel and Spa (historic resort hotel with its own long history).

The downtown retains a strong sense of its resort-town past.

Demographics + community

Excelsior Springs maintains a distinct identity as a historic resort town turned residential community. It attracts both locals from the KC metro and heritage tourists. The community has worked to preserve its unique mineral water and resort history while adapting to modern needs.

Notable people associated with this neighborhood

• Early discoverers and promoters of the mineral springs (1880s).
• Civic leaders who developed the Hall of Waters project during the New Deal era.
• Various visitors over the decades (presidents and notable figures stayed at the resorts).

Notable businesses (historic + present)

Historic

• Early hotels, bathhouses, and sanatoriums tied to the mineral water boom.
• The original spring houses and bottling operations.

Present-day (strong historic downtown dining scene)

Excelsior Springs has a notable concentration of independent restaurants and bars in its historic downtown, many occupying beautifully restored buildings:

• Ray’s Lunch — Classic diner established in the 1940s. Famous for hamburgers, Ray Miller’s original chili recipe, handbreaded tenderloins and catfish, and fresh cinnamon rolls/biscuits. Features the original seasoned cast-iron grill and 1940s-era decor. A living snapshot of mid-century small-town dining.
• Ventana Gourmet Grill — Upscale yet casual American wine bar and restaurant in a historic downtown storefront (since 2002). Known for an extensive wine list and fine dining in a restored historic space.
• Willow Spring Mercantile — Highly rated establishment often praised in local roundups.
• The Springs Restaurant — Family-owned spot serving home-style American food in the historic district.
• Other downtown options include The Mug (coffee/café), Broadway Bar & Grill, Atlas Saloon (historic bar), and various other eateries.

The downtown dining scene is one of the stronger and most historic in the Northland, making it a destination for both day-trippers and locals.

Monuments + public art in this neighborhood

• Hall of Waters (major civic and architectural landmark).
• Excelsior Springs Museum & Archives.
• Historic markers throughout downtown related to the springs and resort era.
• The Elms Hotel and other preserved resort-era structures.

Fountains in this neighborhood

The mineral springs themselves (Siloam and others) were the original “fountains” of fame. The Hall of Waters features elaborate water features as part of its design. Specific modern public fountains are secondary to this heritage.

Annual events + traditions

The community hosts events celebrating its resort heritage, including tours of the Hall of Waters, museum programs, and downtown festivals. The historic character supports ongoing heritage tourism.

Cultural significance

Excelsior Springs is the clearest example in the Northland of a 19th-century health resort town. Its mineral springs created a unique chapter in regional history that brought national attention to the area in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. The survival of the Hall of Waters and much of the downtown fabric makes it an important cultural and architectural asset for the entire Kansas City region — one that is still frequently overlooked outside of local history circles.

Restrictive covenant + redlining history

As a resort town with later residential development, specific housing pattern research would benefit from deeper Clay/Ray County and local archives.

Boundaries with adjacent neighborhoods

• South/West: Toward Kearney and the broader Clay County Northland.
• North/East: Rural Ray County and the Fishing River valley.

Sources