On March 13, 1913, the Postoffice and depot was destroyed. The dance hall, which was built around the same time as the hotel remained standing until a few years ago. Now, the only building standing which was in existence during the time of the hotel is the spring house. On entering the grounds the first thing to attract attention are the ruins of the hotel, which tell of a glorious existence. During the early history of Hinson Springs the lawn was covered with a beautiful grove of trees. These have been killed by an overflow of water from canals that have been dug. The park is now used for a pasture.

An orchestra was kept at the hotel and dancing was a pleasant pastime- much of the time on the porch of the hotel, but on special days and nights in the dance hall. Many vacationers rented cabins that were on the grounds while many others brought tents and camped for weeks. On special days there were as many as 8,000 people present and often six special trains were run to accommodate the people, besides four trains that came from Perryville bringing those who came up the river by boat. On days such as this there were from 65 to 100 hogs, sheep and goats barbecued. One of the biggest days ever was a confederate reunion at which Robert L. Taylor was one of the speakers.

From 1909 until 1913 Hinson springs was widely known as a summer resort. The hotel was very modern and artistically constructed. A railroad was near at hand and a depot was conveniently located with a lighted, graveled walk running to the hotel. A postoffice and store were run by Mrs. Haughtie Odle and mail was delivered by the porter to guests at the hotel.

During the summer, the hotel was filled with guests, many of which were from the north. Many of the northern women smoked cigarettes and played tennis in shorts which was rather a curiosity to the surrounding country people. In the hotel was a bar where drinks were served, and pitch and poker games were almost always in progress.

As many as five or six porters were employed for big days but there was only one regular. Charlie Taylor who later went to the legislature where he served as porter until his death. His wife was the only regular chambermaid.

Many people came to drink the water from the mineral spring, which contains magnesia and iron, and barrels of it were shipped by train during the lifetime of the hotel. The State Militia visited Hinson Springs at different times and paraded before the people, as well as giving sham battles. The hotel burned May 29, 1913. Since that time the place has been in a state of ruins.

Written in 1940 - unknown author/Everett Horn Library/ Collection of Richard Wadley deceased

Before the turn of the century, Joe B. Hinson built a frame hotel near a spring two miles southwest of Lexington near the railroad line. Its elevated dirt walk covered by gravel led from the depot to the hotel. Hinson Spring was believed to have medicinal value, since it contained magnesium and iron. In a short time, the hotel burned. Four years later, Jim Long rebuilt the hotel and operated it until fire again destroyed it. Long again rebuilt and operated it until three businessmen from Illinois - Barcroft, Pinkstaf and Montgomery, purchased the hotel. A beautiful stone structure was added to the older building, Garcroft gained control and operated the hotel until its final destruction by fire in 1914. During its operation, Hinson Springs was a noted southern resort.
From the book "Henderson History" by G. Tillman Stewart 1979

(Notes by Mary Fesmire Flake) I think the write up on Hinson Springs was done in conjunction with projects that were assigned to all the schools to enter in the fair. Each school was to develop an exhibit about their assigned spot in Henderson County and do a writeup to explain it. My dad,J.L. Fesmire worked up the Hinson Springs exhibit with his seventh and eighth graders from Palestine School. They researched it and built a scale model of Hinson Springs even including the water tower that supplied water to the hotel. There were several gazebo styled structures built around several of the springs, and the remains were there when the students did their work. The imported marble patios and the foundation of the hotel were still there. You could see where walking paths, fountains and pools and groves of trees had been. They were also able to interview many who had been to the springs and the hotel in its heyday and the family of the Odles who were there for most of the time the hotel was there..

I have a rough draft that sounds a lot like your write up that I found in my dads things and though I was not in a high enough grade to be involved I was a part of the visits and the research because I went with them all the time. Palestine won first place with their exhibit on Hinson Springs and the exhibit was kept by the board of education and my dad never got it back. It was built from clay ,sugar cubes, wood, marble to simulate the imported marble that was brought in when the hotel was rebuilt and any material the students could find to try to replicate the building and grounds, Everything was to scale even the elevated walk to the train. There were a lot of good exhibits that year and it would have been nice if the work had been preserved especially the essays . I think the project was engineered by Louise Oakley.