Sweet Springs, in eastern Monroe County, is the site of a historic mineral spring resort, known by European-Americans since the late 1700s.

The spring water flows at 73 degrees Fahrenheit and was valued for its medicinal properties due to its iron and carbon dioxide content.

The resort was nicknamed "Old Sweet Springs.” The first hotel was built in 1792. It was most popular between 1820 and the Civil War, when a large, columned brick hotel was constructed.

It was part of a circuit of resort spas. Famous guests included George and Martha Washington, General Lafayette, Chief Justice John Marshall, Patrick Henry, James and Dolley Madison, Presidents Pierce and Fillmore, and Robert E. Lee. After the Civil War, its popularity declined because it was not close to major railroad lines.