Special to the HT
MEEKER| Many longtime residents remember the Happy Landing Pool east of Meeker along County Road 8 near the White River. It was a popular local spot for years. Research by Kay Bivens of the Rio Blanco Historical Society notes a roadside marker for that site is currently in production. But another hot spring, located farther up the hill to the north, actually predates the river pool. This is the story of the Meeker Dome Hot Spring Pool.
In the early 1920s, mass production of affordable cars and trucks drove increased demand for oil. Experienced workers and geologists from Pennsylvania, Texas and California spread across the country searching for new reserves. Northwest Colorado soon became a target, with land agents securing mineral leases throughout the region. The Meeker Herald in 1924 carried frequent updates on drilling activity, gushers and dry holes as the oil boom accelerated.
The Marland Company of Texas drilled exploratory wells in the Thornburg area, Axial Basin and on the geologic formation known as Meeker Dome, east of town. Their goal was to reach the Pennsylvania Sands formation using wooden derrick rigs common at the time. While drilling in Thornburg progressed as expected, the Meeker Dome well — Scott Well No. 1, named for landowner T.B. Scott — proved far more challenging.
A Dec. 13, 1924, report in the Meeker Herald noted the well hit water at 700 feet, again at 1,400 feet and then encountered a third, unusually hot flow. The sulfurous water was under pressure and tested at an estimated 47,000 barrels per day at 100 degrees. The discovery sparked local talk of developing a hot springs destination to rival Steamboat Springs or Glenwood Springs, though the drilling company had little interest in water.
By January 1925, the well continued to struggle with water intrusion. Pressure from below forced sections of casing out of the hole, reportedly launching pipe and rocks into the air. By March, additional water flows persisted.
That same period marked a turning point in regional history. In March 1925, the Herald also reported the death of Chipeta, wife of Ute Chief Ouray, who played a key role in negotiating peace following the 1879 conflict in the White River Valley. Her passing, just 50 years after Ute occupation of the region, stood in stark contrast to the rapid industrial push of the oil era.
Efforts to salvage the Meeker Dome well continued. In May 1925, company president Travis Golay inspected the site, and an explosives expert known as “Tex” Thornton transported nitroglycerine from Wyoming to attempt to clear the well. The effort failed to resolve the issue. By late May, additional saltwater flows were reported, and by July the company prepared to abandon the well.
What followed next would ultimately shape the development of the Meeker Dome hot spring site.
Sources: Rio Blanco Historical Society; Meeker Herald archives; research by Kay Bivens; co-writer Ed Peck.
