Webster Springs is the county seat of Webster County, located where the Back Fork meets the Elk River. The area was first known for its saline (salty) springs, which Indians and wildlife used. European-American settlers found the springs in 1782.

People believed the spring water had medicinal qualities. Around 1896, a large resort hotel was built. The arrival of a narrow-gauge railroad in 1902 made the town easily accessible, turning Webster Springs into a popular summer resort. The resort boom ended when the grand Webster Springs Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1926, and the railroad stopped running in 1929.