Kiowa Indians first visited this location and used its mineral waters for medical purposes. In the 1870s, George Washington Vineyard settled here on a claim originally established by David Rowland and dug this well for his home, though the mineral-tasting water was not used at first. Suffering from sore eyes and ulcers on his legs, he was cured by bathing in and drinking the water. As news spread, visitors with arthritis, rheumatism, stomach disorders, and skin diseases began coming to the well, often camping along Bean's Creek in their wagons. Soon three hotels and several bath houses opened to serve the growing number of visitors. The town of Vineyard was laid out in 1882, and J. H. Grisham opened the first general store. The town later included several churches, a newspaper, school, sawmill, blacksmith shop, and post office. In 1898 the Rock Island Railroad bypassed Vineyard and the community of Sebree was started 2 miles south. Visitors arriving by train took a hack to the resort. In 1915, H. F. Stamper and his sons, Clint and H. F. Jr., petitioned the Legislature, and the name of Vineyard became Wizard Wells while Sebree was changed to Vineyard.