 Situated at the edge of downtown Carlsbad Village with its many antique shops and award-winning restaurants, Alt Karlsbad is an easy drive from Los Angeles and San Diego, and only a short distance from 1-5. For those who prefer the train, Alt Karlsbad is just one block from the Carlsbad Coaster depot, and only three miles from the Oceanside Amtrak depot.
The year was 1882 when John Frazier, former sea captain,
was digging a well for his farm which covered much of today's downtown area of
Carlsbad, California.
Frazier struck at 415 feet an aquifer of mineral
water. Encouraged by his success, he sank another well at 510 feet.
Analysis showed the mineral water was very similar to the water from the
world-famous Karlsbad, Bohemia, health resort, so they named the water Carlsbad
Mineral Water. Today Karlsbad is known as Karlovy Vary, Czech
Republic.
Frazier found the water to be very therapeutic. Many people
have experienced other health benefits.
 Frazier and several other
businessmen formed the Carlsbad Land and Mineral Water Company. They built
beautiful homes (today one is known as Nieman's Restaurant), a hotel, and a spa
next to the mineral wells. They also renamed the town from Frazier Station to
Carlsbad after the famous California Carlsbad Mineral Water.
In 1930, the
California Carlsbad Mineral Water Hotel was built across the street from the
well. The hotel was widely known for its Mineral Water Baths and was frequented
by movie stars and other famous people from around the world.
The Great
Depression brought hard times to this hotel. The well needed repair but there
was no money to do it. The well was lost for a number of years.
In 1992
Ludvik Grigoras, a Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad, Czech Republic) native, started to
completely restore the old well and re-drilled another of Frazier's wells which
is naturally carbonated.
Ludvik encouraged a hometown friend, renowned
sculptor Vaclav Lokvenc from Karlsbad, Czech Republic, to create a 13 ft. bronze
statue of Capt. John Frazier which was shipped from Europe in 1994 and is now
erected at the Alt Karlsbad Historic Site.
Today, Carlsbad Famous Water
is being bottled again, and an elegant spa has opened in the beautiful
European-style building on the site of the original well
Hours:
Monday
– Sunday
9:00am – 6:00pm
Evening hours available by
appointment.
Open holidays, except Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
2802 Carlsbad Blvd
Carlsbad, CA
92008-2942
Tel: (760) 434-1887
Fax: (760)
434-9192
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The Water Connoisseur
