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Welch Spring Letterbox LbNA #54531

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jul 7, 2010
Location:
City:Akers Ferry
County:Shannon
State:Missouri
Boxes:1
Planted by:Letterbox Bandit
Found by: Not yet found!
Last found:N/A
Last edited:Jul 7, 2010
Welch Spring Letterbox

Reached either by canoe/kayak or car!

By canoe/kayak
Floating down the Current River
An easy 8 mile float from Cedargrove to Akers Ferry
Two miles from Akers Ferry you hear the sound before you see
The waters rumbling and flowing from the northside of the river (left side)
Just before the Spring, there is a spot to pull your kayak or canoe to dock and explore.
This is the site of the last attempt to create a spa getaway in the Ozarks - this attempt was made by Dr. Christian Diehl in 1913.
It is said the cold cave air would help asthmatic patients and the remains of the hospital still stand.
On one side of the buildings' remains are a flight of steps -18 steps to the top.
At the top of the steps, directly across from the corner of the building stands a tree with three large rocks at the base.
Uncover the rocks, first finder will also find a 20th annual family river run t-shirt! Enjoy and Happy Hunting!

Driving:
Off K highway - mile marker 13.7 - hike to the spring!
Once at the Spring, locate the plaque that explains the history of the hospital and Dr. Christian Diehl
As you are facing the plaque, the steps mentioned in the canoe/kayak description above will lead you to the letterbox.


Interesting Welch Spring Facts:
*Average Flow: 105 million gallons per day (165 cubic feet per second!)
*Rank: 6 - Even though Welch Spring has more average flow than Maramec, the number of records on the spring (38) versus thousands for Maramec give it a lower relative ranking.
*The Spring rises 350 feet inside the gated, and closed cave behind the bluff.