McFarland Springs Spring House - Burkburnett, TX
N 34° 03.438 W 098° 28.493
14S E 548460 N 3768634
Southeast of Burkburnett, TX, at the Perkins Scout Reservation, can be found the McFarland Springs, where there is this spring house and a Texas Historical Marker.
Waymark Code: WMTYEH
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/23/2017
Views: 6
This is an active Scout base. There are kids here. We live in interesting times. Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement, was quoted as saying "A Scout is not a fool." Neither should you be. They don't seem to mind visitors, although there is a "No Trespassing" sign at the camp gate, and the
Wichita County Historical Commission even provides instructions for visitors should the gate be locked: To access if gate is closed, phone Jeremy Perkins 940-447-3578, or ask at house near the gate. If you're coming in to camp with a Scout troop, well, obviously, you've got carte blanche.
Gunnar M. Brune's "Springs of Texas Volume 1" has some information about these springs, mentioning the log cabin that Mabel Gilbert (read on) built here in 1861, and indicating that they were referenced as "extra fine springs" in 1874. The springs poured at .13 lps as of 1977, but he notes that a nearby city well field has probably reduced the flow rate somewhat. There is no indication as to the "1879" on the sign above the door, unless that is when the spring house was built. The inside definitely has modern trappings, such as cinder blocks.
There is a 1970 Texas Historical Marker here, providing some background about Mabel Gilbert, who settled here:
First permanent settler in this area. Born in Tennessee, he was a steamboat captain. Came to Texas 1837. Built mills and was first navigator of Trinity River headwaters. After filing for land in this vicinity in 1856, he built cabin near this spring and dug trench around homestead to keep out buffalo herds. His daughter Hettie was first white child known to have been born in the county (1860). Indian raids drove family away repeatedly.
Twice married, Gilbert had 19 children. Peach trees he planted here were for years a landmark used by incoming pioneers.