Hot Springs in Garland County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

“A Modern and First Class Hotel”

Hot Springs National Park

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

“A Modern and First Class Hotel” Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 5, 2022

1. “A Modern and First Class Hotel” Marker

Inscription. Today's Arlington Lawn gets its name from the fact that the first two versions of the luxury hotel you see across Fountain Street to the north were located here on government property. The first, a 150-room wooden structure completed in 1875, was designed specifically to offer patrons the most modern, first-class accommodations possible – the same as they would expect in New York or Chicago. It was replaced in 1893 by a larger, more elaborate, brick, stone, and iron version.

That grand hotel, pictured here, was of Moorish and Spanish Renaissance style and featured a glass-topped rotunda, large ballroom, and bridges leading to Hot Springs Mountain from several floors. It offered 300 guest rooms, 50 of which had private bathrooms. The second Arlington burned in 1923 and was rebuilt across the street in 1925. The iconic 500-room Arlington Hotel is still in use today.

[Inset photo] The first Arlington Hotel on the federal reservation.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.

Location. 34° 30.955′ N,

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93° 3.191′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. It is at the intersection of Central Avenue (Arkansas Route 7) and Fountain Street, on the right when traveling north on Central Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: DeSoto Camp (within shouting distance of this marker); A Landscaped Resort (within shouting distance of this marker); Bathhouse Row (within shouting distance of this marker); Hot Springs' Postwar Boom (within shouting distance of this marker); Hot Action in Hot Springs

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 5, 2022

2. “A Modern and First Class Hotel” Marker

(within shouting distance of this marker); 260 (within shouting distance of this marker); 304 (within shouting distance of this marker); 308 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hot Springs.

First Arlington Hotel (1875-1892) image. Click for full size.

via Internet Archive (Public Domain), April 15, 1876

3. First Arlington Hotel (1875-1892)

This ad appeared in the April 15, 1876 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. The wooden hotel originally contained 120 rooms, but another 100 were added in the late 1880s. The hotel was razed in 1892 to make way for the second hotel.

Second Arlington Hotel (1893-1923) image. Click for full size.

Unknown via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain), circa 1922

4. Second Arlington Hotel (1893-1923)

The 300-room Spanish Renaissance revival hotel's observatory towers dominated the north end of Bathhouse row. The building was destroyed by fire on April 5, 1923.

The Third Arlington Hotel (1924-) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 5, 2022

5. The Third Arlington Hotel (1924-)

The current 560-room hotel opened Dec. 31, 1924 with a gala New Year's Eve dinner dance. Like its two predecessors, it has twin towers.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 22, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 417 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 22, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on November 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4. submitted on November 24, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 5. submitted on November 22, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.