Marlin's mineral springs made it a 19th-century health destination

In 1892, workers in Marlin were drilling for an artesian well. Instead they hit hot mineral water. A local doctor said the water had healing properties. The town quickly built bathhouses and hotels to serve visitors who came for treatment. Facilities included the Bethesda Bathhouse, the Majestic Bathhouse, and the Imperial Hotel.

The health resort era lasted about fifty years. In 1925, a clinic opened that used the mineral water in pools to treat children with disabilities.

The resort industry declined after World War II. Today Marlin is still the Falls County seat. It sits about 24 miles south of Waco. The mineral springs helped shape the town's layout and economy in the early 1900s.