Making folks
feel good
inside out since 1881
Crazy runs deep
Legend has it that back in 1881, there was an old, crazy woman who would spend her days sitting next to the well, drinking the mineral water. People quickly noticed that this old lady’s “crazies” began to look more like everyone else’s “normzies.”
Thousands of people flocked to this magical well, christening it the “Crazy Well.” Among them: Ed Dismuke, whose doctor recently delivered the news that there was no remedy for his life-threatening stomach disease.
Facing a doctor prognosis of “no hope,” Mr. Dismuke began drinking the magical water from the “Crazy Well.” Before long, his stomach ailed no more. In 1904, his health restored, Mr. Dismuke founded the Famous Mineral Water Company.
James & Armanada Lynch left the town of Denison, Texas, with their nine children and 50 head of livestock – searching for a drier climate to help heal their rheumatism. After news of Comanche attacks farther west, they settled down on Christmas Eve 1877 in a pretty valley tucked in the hills of Palo Pinto County.
James Lynch drills the first well in Mineral Wells on his property. Before long, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch’s rheumatism subsides, and the Lynch family realizes the funny-tasting water isn’t harmful but beneficial.
James’ “Uncle” Billy Wiggins drills what’s later known as the “Crazy Well.” By year’s end, over 3,000 people camp out on the Lynch property, filling their cups for 5 cents a glass. Over the next several years, 125 more wells spring up.
Mineral Wells becomes the premier spa resort town of the South. Over 150,000 visitors and health seekers travel from all over the country to sip and soak in the healing mineral waters.
Ed Dismuke establishes the Famous Mineral Water Company after the special mineral water helped alleviate his life-threatening disease.
Mineral Wells offers four bathing houses, seven wells and pavilions, two sanitariums, and 46 hotels and boarding houses among its attractions.
Mineral Wells is home to 21 different mineral water companies.
The current Famous Pavilion is built. Mr. Dismuke develops products from the curative waters, including Dismuke’s Famous Crystals. With national distribution, they’re a major success.
The Crazy Water Company focuses on promoting Crazy Water Crystals in drugstores nationwide. With a teaspoon of Crazy Crystals and a glass of tap water, people can enjoy the health benefits of Crazy Water from their own homes.
During World War II, fewer people make the journey to Mineral Wells, forcing most of the water companies to close by the end of the decade, including the original Crazy Water Company.
After touting the mineral waters’ health-giving properties for nearly six decades, Mr. Dismuke dies on November 6 from one of the things Crazy Water can’t help – old age. (He was 97. So much for that doctor diagnosis.)
Mr. Dismuke’s widow, Ida Dismuke, sells the Famous Mineral Water Company to J.C. Causey.
Famous starts bottling the mineral water under both the Famous and Crazy Water brands.
Now celebrating over 100 years of service to its loyal patrons, Crazy Water once again expands distribution to collect more crazy fans nationwide.
