Bathhouse Row: The Therapeutic Waters of Hot Springs, Arkansas
The area now known as Hot Springs was first discovered by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1541. Local indigenous people referred to the area as the Valley of Vapors due to the steam that rises from the mountain during early morning hours. It didn’t take long before people from around the world began to descend on the area to take advantage of the therapeutic benefits of the hot spring water.
As part of the movement to use the springs therapeutically, Bathhouse Row emerged as one of the best things to do in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Today’s Bathhouse Row is a National Historic Landmark, featuring eight historic bathhouses constructed between 1892 and 1923. A few are still in continuous use as bathhouses, while others have been repurposed and house other businesses.
Lamar Bathhouse
The original Lamar Bathhouse was a wooden victorian building constructed in 1888 and later replaced in 1923 with the concrete structure we see today. The bathhouse was named after former US Supreme Court Justice Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, who was Secretary of the Interior at the time of the original construction.
Today, the Lamar Bathhouse is home to the Bathhouse Row Emporium, the official gift shop of the national park, operated by America’s National Parks. The Lamar Bathhouse also serves offices and archives for the park’s Resource Management department, and also provides supplemental storage for the museum located in the Fordyce Bathhouse.
Buckstaff Bathhouse
Originally opened in 1912, the Buckstaff Bathhouse is the only location on Bathhouse Row to remain in continuous operation for more than a century. The Buckstaff was constructed on the site of the old Rammelsberg Bathhouse, which was destroyed by fire in 1878. The Buckstaff gets it’s name from the brothers who purchased and redeveloped the property, George and Milo Buckstaff.
The Buckstaff was famous for it’s large hydrotherapeutic department, a feature that only two other bathhouses offered. That department has since been replaced with modern spa services in a classic environment. The Buckstaff is constructed of taupe brick paired with white stucco and wood trim, making it one of the most visually appealing properties on Bathhouse Row.
Ozark Bathhouse
Originally constructed in 1922, the Ozark Bathhouse features a unique exterior design where mythical creatures offer flowing samples of the healing waters offered by the mountain. Today, the Ozark Bathhouse is home to the Hot Springs National Park Cultural Center. The interior is filled with gallery space showcase work from local artists, as well as other temporary displays.
Constructed in Spanish Colonial Revival style, the building was designed by Little Rock architects Mann and Stern. Coming in with a construction cost of $93,000, the design was actually the third concept presented by Mann and Stern, with the first two being rejected for being too gran. In looking at the exquisite beauty of the final product, it’s hard to imagine how lavish the first two designs must have been.
Quapaw Bathhouse
Opened in 1922, the Quapaw Bathhouse is perhaps the most dominant structure on Bathhouse Row. It is the longest of the bathhouses, having been constructed on the lots of two previous bathhouses, the Horseshoe and the Magnesia. It also has a unique architectural feature: a large mosaic dome constructed in the style of indigenous art from the local Quapaw tribe.
The Quapaw Bathhouse closed it’s doors in 1984, but new ownership renovated the property in 2008 and reopened it as family friendly spa. The Quapaw Bathhouse is one of only two locations on Bathhouse Row where you can soak in the thermal springs of Hot Springs. The facility offers private baths, public pools and modern spa services.
Fordyce Bathhouse
Opened in 1915 at a staggering cost of $212,000, the Fordyce Bathhouse set a new standard of luxury spa therapy. Constructed under the supervision of owner Sam Fordyce and his son John, the building spans three floors and contains an enormous outdoor courtyard. There is also a basement spanning nearly the entire facility, in which you can find the original crystal-lined spring that was the source of the bathhouse’s therapeutic water.
Today, the Fordyce Bathhouse exists as a museum giving a look back into Hot Springs’ past. Most of the bathhouse is in original condition with all of the original equipment used by those who could afford membership at such a lavish spa. The Fordyce Bathhouse is also home to the park’s visitors center, providing maps and information on area attractions.
Maurice Bathhouse
Opened in 1912, the Maurice Bathhouse gained immediate popularity due to it’s third floor lounge, which included a large stone fireplace, a stained glass skylight, painted murals and unobstructed views of the surrounding area. The luxury offered by the Maurice Bathhouse was a constant competitor to the infamous Fordyce Bathhouse. The building is vacant today but will soon be available for commercial leasing.
The current bathhouse replaced an earlier victorian establishment, the Independent Bathhouse. The three story structure provided guests with a wide range of services and amenities, including a full service gymnasium, a rooftop garden and elevators. A therapeutic pool was constructed in the basement during the 1930s, making it the first property on Bathhouse Row to have it’s own swimming pool.
Hale Bathhouse
Dating back to 1892, the Hale Bathhouse is the oldest remaining structure on Bathhouse Row. It’s most noteworthy feature is a sauna situated inside a thermal cave that penetrates the mountainside. The bathhouse was constructed on the site of a previous inn known as Hale House, which had a separate spa located on the other side of a thermal creek that once flowed through the area.
In modern times, the bathhouse has been renovated into the Hotel Hale. The interior of the building has been redeveloped into a number of luxury rooms designed in different styles. Guests staying overnight have exclusive access to the properties thermal springs.
Superior Bathhouse
The Superior Bathhouse was constructed in 1912 on the site of the previous Big Iron Bathhouse. Some of the brick from the original construction was reused in the building we see today, in a style that stood apart from the victorian bathhouses that were common at the time.
Originally, the Superior Bathhouse was constructed as an affordable therapeutic spa for local residents who were often priced out of the luxury bathhouses that were being constructed in the area. It operated as such until it’s closure in 1983. Today, the Superior Bathhouse finds new life as a micro-brewery, and is the only brewery located inside a US National Park.
