What Is Bathhouse Row?
These are eight historic bathhouses from the golden age of spring bathing, the largest collection of luxury bathhouses left in the USA!
What Makes It Historical?
Within thirty years of the arrival of the Dunbar-Hunter Expedition, the hot springs of the Ouachita Mountains had already attracted entrepreneurs ready to sell the healing properties of 4,400-year old mineral water to anyone willing to bathe in it! At that time, a creek was openly running through this area, and the first bathhouses were kindling, I mean, small, wooden structures. That began to change in 1832 when the US Government set aside this area as the first federal reservation, a precursor to national parks!
Once federalized, this area got a major makeover to become a National Health Resort! The creek was covered by a stone arch and is no longer visible, and the whole row was landscaped by Army engineer, Lieutenant Robert Stevens, then by Jens Jensen, who added street lights and flower gardens! The architectural firm of George Mann and Eugene Stern came on to decide the overall aesthetic of Bathhouse Row, and despite delays by World War I, the Row still shows off their Mediterranean/Spanish Revival theme!
The bathhouses today, in order of construction, are: the Hale (George & Fremont Orff, 1896), the first bathhouse to offer more services than just bathing; the Maurice (George Gleim, Jr, 1912), the only bathhouse with a swimming pool; the Buckstaff (Frank W. Gibb & Company, 1912), the only bathhouse that’s been in continuous operation since it opened; the Fordyce (Mann & Stern, 1915), the biggest bathhouse and now the visitor center; the Superior (Harry Schwebke, 1916), a low-budget bathhouse that today houses the world’s only brewery to make beer from hot spring water; the Ozark (Mann & Stern, 1922), the bathhouse for the middle class and now the park’s cultural center; the Quapaw (Mann & Stern, 1922), the longest bathhouse with a magnificent dome, still in service; and finally, the Lamar (Harry Schwebke, 1923), featuring the largest lobby, now the park’s shop!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer at Bathhouse Row!
- Donate to the Bathhouse Row!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
North End, Superior:
- 329 Central Ave
Hot Springs, AR 71901
South End, Lamar:
- 515 Central Ave
Hot Springs, AR 71901
When Should I Visit?
The visitor center is open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM! Your best bet for a soothing soak in the springs would be to head over to Buckstaff Bathhouse between 8:00 AM and 1:15 PM!
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