November 6, 2014
"Dr. Henry Foster's Spirit Lives On"
By Jim Conners, Village Historian
We know that Dr. Foster's spirit lives on in the Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic, and now his spirit can live on in each of our lives.
It is truly amazing how things come together, for some they may be called coincidences but for many they are called God-incidences, and here is one of them.
The story starts with Dr. Les Moore, who is the Medical Director of "The Springs", which is the new section at our hospital specializing in Integrative Medicine. This type of practice has often been referred to as Alternative Medicine, however in reality it is designed to work in conjunction with regular medical practices, to promote healing and wholeness. This is straight from the opinions and workings of Dr. Foster, the founder of the Clifton Springs Water Cure in 1850 that is today's modern hospital. Dr. Foster did not rely solely on medicines and medical practices, he believed in caring for the mind, spirit and body, integrating many therapies in order to make the person whole and well again...
The story starts with Dr. Les Moore, who is the Medical Director of "The Springs", which is the new section at our hospital specializing in Integrative Medicine. This type of practice has often been referred to as Alternative Medicine, however in reality it is designed to work in conjunction with regular medical practices, to promote healing and wholeness. This is straight from the opinions and workings of Dr. Foster, the founder of the Clifton Springs Water Cure in 1850 that is today's modern hospital. Dr. Foster did not rely solely on medicines and medical practices, he believed in caring for the mind, spirit and body, integrating many therapies in order to make the person whole and well again...
November 6, 2014
Learn about the history of the Tiffany Mosaic in the Spa Apartments Chapel…
November 6, 2014
Healing with Mineral Water
By Les Moore, ND, MSOM, L.Ac, Naturopathic Doctor, Licensed Acupuncturist
With more mineral springs than any other state in the Union, New York is abundantly rich in providing healing waters. Mineral springs have been used for healing for centuries. Just about all cultures have had large traditions of healing springs,
and Europe and Asia still continue with their healing tradition today. America is beginning to revive her incredible tradition of `taking the waters', and New York is on the cutting edge of reclaiming her rightful place as the leader of Spa and Resort Therapy in America.
The use of water for healing is an art and science unto itself. Hydrotherapy is the application of water in any form, either externally or internally, in the treatment of disease and the maintenance of health. Hydropathy refers to the "water cure" which arose from the empirical tradition and professed to cure all diseases by use of water, especially cold water. Balneology or balneotherapy refers to the science of baths and their therapeutic uses. Crenology or crenotherapy is the science and use of waters from mineral springs....
The use of water for healing is an art and science unto itself. Hydrotherapy is the application of water in any form, either externally or internally, in the treatment of disease and the maintenance of health. Hydropathy refers to the "water cure" which arose from the empirical tradition and professed to cure all diseases by use of water, especially cold water. Balneology or balneotherapy refers to the science of baths and their therapeutic uses. Crenology or crenotherapy is the science and use of waters from mineral springs....
November 6, 2014
For three weeks during June, 1974 a class from the Community College of the Finger Lakes at Canandaigua, New York, carried out, under the writer's
direction, excavations at the Clifton Springs site (Plp 19-1).
The site has been known since at least the last quarter of the 19th century, yet very little has ever been reported, except that the site was a prehistoric Iroquois settlement. The hillside middens have been dug over many times, but no controlled excavation has ever been carried out in the village area proper....
The site has been known since at least the last quarter of the 19th century, yet very little has ever been reported, except that the site was a prehistoric Iroquois settlement. The hillside middens have been dug over many times, but no controlled excavation has ever been carried out in the village area proper....
November 6, 2014
Bath Treatments at "The Clifton Springs Sanitarium Company"
By Jim Conners, Village Historian
The present day hospital is a direct descendent of the 1850 Clifton Springs Water Cure, founded by Dr. Henry Foster. A lot has changed
in the last 153 years of continuous service at the hospital and there will be many changes in the future. To help understand some of the changes
about to happen at the hospital with the expansion of "The Springs of Clifton" we should take a look at the history of the baths at the hospital.
Medical practices varied in the early 1800's as physicians learned about the various types of medicine and medical practices. At the time the approved practice's consisted of bleeding, purging, blistering, sweating and the like along with use of powerful drugs. Dr. Foster's medical specialty was in the field of homoeopathy, at a time when there was a call for a more natural and progressive medical practices. Dr. Foster believed a physician needed to cure the whole person and that meant a plan was to address the body, mind and spirit of the individual.....
Medical practices varied in the early 1800's as physicians learned about the various types of medicine and medical practices. At the time the approved practice's consisted of bleeding, purging, blistering, sweating and the like along with use of powerful drugs. Dr. Foster's medical specialty was in the field of homoeopathy, at a time when there was a call for a more natural and progressive medical practices. Dr. Foster believed a physician needed to cure the whole person and that meant a plan was to address the body, mind and spirit of the individual.....
November 6, 2014
The first family to settle in what is now the Village of Clifton Springs was that of John Shekell Sr. of Frederick Co.,
Maryland. His son Benjamin, in company with two other men, Elias Cost and Abraham Simmons visited the area in 1799 and liked what
they saw. They returned to Maryland in the fall of that year and, as they traveled south, they found that each community was
conducting memorial services for President George Washington, who had just passed away.
Benjamin was so taken with the area that he returned the following year (1800) and settled just to the west of the village past Rocky Run. In 1801-02, his father John Sr. came north and put up a rude log cabin on the top of what is now known as East Hill. The family followed in September of 1802 and John Senior purchased from Oliver Phelps one hundred and thirty-five acres of land for the sum of $540. The deed reserved ten acres of land (including the New Brimstone Spring) to Mr. Phelps and this was the land that in later years which Dr. Henry Foster was to purchase for the start of his Water Cure facility....
Benjamin was so taken with the area that he returned the following year (1800) and settled just to the west of the village past Rocky Run. In 1801-02, his father John Sr. came north and put up a rude log cabin on the top of what is now known as East Hill. The family followed in September of 1802 and John Senior purchased from Oliver Phelps one hundred and thirty-five acres of land for the sum of $540. The deed reserved ten acres of land (including the New Brimstone Spring) to Mr. Phelps and this was the land that in later years which Dr. Henry Foster was to purchase for the start of his Water Cure facility....
November 6, 2014
The members of VFW Post 44 have a vision and we need your help in making our vision a reality. Our current veteran's monument on the corner of Teft Ave.
and Main Street has stood for generations as a solemn remembrance of the service of our nations Veterans. Unfortunately time has taken its toll on this symbol
of sacrifice. Our Village crews have done a tremendous job keeping this cherished parcel in good repair; however the reality of Mother Nature’s wrath is starting
to show. It is time for us to rebuild, to pass to our children this symbol of the true cost of freedom...