Bath House Row

The history behind the hot springs is fascinating. People flocked from all over the US to take medicinal baths in the hot springs, prescribed by their doctors; different treatments & bathing regimes were used for specific ailments. There was soaking in tubs, needle showers, sitz baths, hydrotherapy, steam cabinets (saunas), whirlpool tubs, packing rooms (wrapping hot towels around specific body parts that were ailing), massage therapy, chiropody tools, cooling rooms & beauty treatments. Doctors even told them how much mineral water to drink and at what time to drink it. Grand bath houses were built for the crowds of people seeking health & luxury, leisure & social status; for those wanting to look and feel their best, but most importantly for those seeking a cure. Many patients on their death beds were sent here by their doctors as a last ray of hope. Modeled after the luxurious bath houses in Europe, they had all the latest equipment, beautiful tile & marble work, stain glass windows, artwork, fountains & statues, parlors, gymnasiums, etc. The 8 prominent bath houses lining the main street became known as "Bath House Row", connected by a promenade for getting exercise & fresh air (also prescribed by the doctors). The town of Hot Springs became known as "The American Spa" or "The nation's health sanitarium" by the elite and "Uncle Sam's Bath House" by the poor who couldn't afford the treatments prescribed by the doctors, but were able to go to free bath houses opened by the government, so that all classes of society could benefit from the "healing waters" that belonged to all! Today, only one of the 8 original bath houses still offers traditional "taking of the waters", but you have to be 14 or older. We didn't have time or feel like splurging anyways, so the age cut off made it all the easier to rule that out. We just toured the bath house that is the park visitor center (set up like a museum), walked down Bath House Row, strolled the promenade, sampled some of the water and filled our souvenir jug (hmmm....where to fit a gallon of water in our filled-to-the-brim car).