Sara Mulrooney Headshot

Sara Mulrooney is an undergraduate student (Class of 2023) at UW-Madison studying Spanish and History. Born and raised in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Sara is excited about sharing local histories through community-engaged research and writing. Sara also enjoys reading, creating pottery, and exploring Wisconsin’s beautiful natural landscape.

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Henk Mineral Spring Water Bottle 4

OBJECT HISTORY: Henk Mineral Spring Water Bottle

As an artifact from one of Waukesha’s earliest bottling plants, the Henk Mineral Spring Water bottle represents the spring water bottling industry in Waukesha during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This tall, green glass bottle still contains water from the Henk mineral spring.

Henk Mineral Spring employees pictured outside the bottling plant with a loaded horse-drawn wagon. Owner August Henk stands to the left of the horse, and one employee holds a bottle of water. 1918. Image courtesy of Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum Collection ID: 2006.715.

Nature’s Purest Drink: The Henk Mineral Spring Company

As a center of the mineral spring water industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Waukesha, Wisconsin, saw the rise of over 200 spring water companies during the period known as the Waukesha Springs Era. One of Waukesha’s early spring water companies was the Henk Mineral Spring Company.

Bethesda Spring Park, ca. 1900. The springhouse stands on the right. The spring runs into the pond, which reflects the words “1868-Bethesda.” The Terrace Hotel can be seen in the left background. People sit on the lawn and stand around the springhouse.
Courtesy of UW Libraries Digital Collections ID: 2004.214.1; 7370

The Saratoga of the West: Resort Culture in the Waukesha Springs Era

The mineral spring water of Waukesha, Wisconsin grew widely popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Waukesha Springs Era (1868-1914) saw the rise of over 200 spring water companies and a robust resort culture.

Devil's Lake State Park

A Landscape of Leisure: Tourism in Wisconsin

For more than 150 years, Wisconsin’s natural elements and landscape have drawn visitors from near and far to enjoy recreational activities throughout the state, like fishing, skiing, and bicycling. From the springs of Waukesha to the lakes of the Northwoods, Wisconsin has become a recreational escape for tourists over the years.