In early Osage, families camped at Nim's ford about ten to twelve miles south of town on the Cedar River, sometimes staying a week or more with tents and provisions and gathering at a private beach south of the west bridge opposite the bluff for swimming parties. Because travel by horse and buggy made such trips too long for daily outings, people sought a place closer to town. Jacob Haight owned part of the land where Spring Park is now located, and the spring there was known as Jacob Haight's Spring. After a committee inspected Haight's land two or three miles from town on a good wagon road, twenty acres were purchased for $60 an acre, with the deed signed on July 2, 1894, the same day the Spring Park Association was incorporated. Each stockholder was to contribute $50, and the association's officers were J.W. Annis, president, Charles Sweney, vice-president, W.B. Kingsbury, secretary, and J.H. Johnson, treasurer; the board of directors consisted of Annis, Sweney, Kingsbury, Henry Pettit, and W.L. Eaton, with 24 charter members. At first the entrance was on the east, with a place near it to keep horses, and a dam was built on the river. Later the entrance was moved to the northeast corner. The association built a road down the hill west of the spring, but because it proved too steep even for horses, it was extended farther west. The barns were moved from the east gate to just south of the spring, where they remained until automobiles replaced horses. Concerned that the 21 acres west of the property might be sold and the timber cleared, the association bought that land from Arthur M. Bush on July 21, 1904, for $1,260. The spring was cleaned out and cased in. The park was private, with gates locked to all but members, though each year a Farmers Night was held for nonmembers. Over time many original stockholders moved away, died, or lost interest, leaving too few to pay for its care, and the park became a burden. In 1935 it was leased by the city of Osage, and on December 5, 1938, it was sold to the city for $1. Various groups and organizations then cleaned and cared for the park. A conservation club formed in 1947 played a major part in its care from 1948 on. Volunteer work continued until 1960, when Marshall "Shorty" Bascomb was hired for full-time maintenance and served until his death in November 1963, after which Tom Lincoln was hired. The water is tested periodically, is drinkable, and has a high iron content.