To reach the geyser from Old Fort, N.C., take 70 West to Old US Hwy 70 and, turn right. Travel 2.4 miles to Mill Creek; turn right and travel 2.1 miles to Andrews Geyser which is on your left.
There is a monument in the park and the text reads:
“This geyser was built in 1912 by George Fisher Baker of New York as a tribute to his friend Colonel Alexander Boyd Andrews of Raleigh, North Carolina, and in appreciation for the great public service he rendered in the development and upbuilding of Western North Carolina.
Andrews Geyser was restored in 1976 by the town of Old Fort, with contributions from the people of Western North Carolina, and dedicated a public park for the use and enjoyment of all.
Your cooperation in caring for these facilities will be appreciated and insure the use of Andrews Geyser as a park. For the benefit of future generations.”
The geysers' water is supplied from the lake at the "The Inn on Mill Creek." A 6 inch cast iron pipe at the lake carries water down the mountain through two miles of pipe plummeting 500 feet to the geyser. The natural pressure created by this decent forces the water to spout out of a 1\2 inch pipe at the geyser over 80 feet skyward.
The first geyser was built in 1879 by the railroad and it was positioned next to Mill Creek. It was constructed to honor the 120 workers who were killed or died constructing the next 12 miles of rail line, near the geyser, to reach Swannanoa Gap 3 miles away. These workers were prison laborers who died in cave-ins, a cholera outbreak and through the misuse of a new explosive, nitroglycerin. That same year The Round Knob Hotel was built nearby. As tourism in the area increased the Geyser became a very popular attraction for tourists and rail passengers who slowly chugged up the mountainous terrain with the geyser in full sight of the numerous rail switchbacks.
In 1903 the Round Knob Hotel was lit ablaze by a passing train’s embers and burnt to the ground. The loss was total and complete and the owners of the hotel, the Sprague family, decided not to rebuild. The future of the geyser was in doubt as it began to fall into disrepair and the citizens of Old Fort were concerned that they would lose not only the hotel but the geyser. After all the fountain was said to be eye-catching for railroad passengers ascending the 13 miles of track and seven tunnels that peaks at the top of Swannanoa Gap because it could be seen several times along the route and would be a tragic loss to the area.
In 1911 George Fisher Baker, a wealthy financier and philanthropist from New Yorker, stepped in to rescue the geyser. Mr. Baker wanted to rededicate the geyser to honor his friend Col. Alexander Boyd Andrews, who had a played an instrumental role in the development of the railroad and that of Western North Carolina. Unfortunately the Southern Railway Company would not grant the continuation of the easement for the fountain at that time. In response, Baker purchased the adjoining land near the railroad and built a five-sided basin about 70 yards across Mill Creek. The piping and nozzle were moved to the fountain's current location. The town of Old Fort was given rights to the basin and the pipe that carries the water. The fountain was formally named Andrews Geyser in honor of Col. Alexander Boyd Andrews.
This is where the geyser still stands and sprays today, powered by the dam and the lake on that secluded 7 acres of land, totally surrounded by the protected lands of the Pisgah National Forest, and even controlled by a valve, that are all now part of The Inn on Mill Creek. The town of Old Fort continues to use Andrews Geyser and the surrounding area as a public park. Andrews Geyser underwent extensive restoration again in the 1970s, and was rededicated on May 6, 1976. Signs at the park describe Mr. Fisher's role in the early 20th century and the role of Old Fort's private citizens in the 1970s in keeping the fountain running.
Other sources Used:
The Book: “Hidden History of the North Carolina Mountains” By Alice Sink
The Book: “Western North Carolina: a history (1730-1913)” By John Preston Arthur, et. all.
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