Hot Springs in Garland County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
Bathhouse Row
Hot Springs National Park
The buildings along Bathhouse Row are the latest stage in a succession of bathhouses. In the 1830s Hot Springs’ earliest facilities were makeshift shelters perched over individual springs. Later, elaborate Victorian bathhouses flourished along the avenue, but the wooden structures were susceptible to rot and devastating fires.
The present mix of Spanish mission and neoclassical architecture dates from 1911 to 1939, the Golden Age of Bathing. The Buckstaff remains open for traditional bathing, while the National Park Service preserves Bathhouse Row as a significant national cultural landmark.
Captions:
Hale Bathhouse on Hot Springs Creek, 1867.
Assembly room in Fordyce Bathhouse. In the middle of Bathhouse Row, at the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center, you can explore restored interiors furnished with tubs, steam cabinets, and hydrotherapy equipment from 1915-1920.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.
Location. 34° 30.708′ N, 93° 3.234′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. Marker is on Reserve Street near Central Avenue. The marker is located on the grounds of the Hot Springs National Park Headquarters. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. U.S. Park Ranger James Alexander Cary (a few steps from this marker); The Roosevelts in Hot Springs (within shouting distance of this marker); An American Spa (within shouting distance of this marker); Alerted at the Arlington (within shouting distance of this marker); Buckstaff Bathhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Lamar Bathhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Notable Hot Springs Visitors (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Lamar Bathhouse (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hot Springs.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 12, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 651 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 12, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 2. submitted on September 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on December 12, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.