Hot Springs National Park - Arkansas

Informational Link to Hot Springs National Park.



This is the front of the Fordyce Bath House. It is now the location of the Visitor Center and Museum for the National Park. The park is located in the ZIG ZAG Mountains on the eastern edge of the Ouachita (Washitaw) Mountains. The tops of the mountains consist of folded layers of novaculite and sandstone. The folding occurred when the pressures in the earth pushed the soft rock up causing it to fall back on itself in folded layers. The rain from thousands of years ago fell on the tops of these mountains and trickled through the various layers. The water is heated by the pressures in the earth which are said to be NOT volcanic.



There are 47 springs in Hot Springs. This is number 46 found in the basement area of the Fordyce Bath House.












One of the springs found outside the Fordyce Bath House. The temperature is about 146 degrees. The water is naturally pure and needs no treatment. you can bath in it and drink it - although maybe not in that order.









The dressing rooms where those partaking in the baths could change and wait to be taken for their treatments. The wood of the rooms was absolutely beautiful - there was no skimping in materials. Each small tile on the floor was hand placed.









This is the sculpture of Ponce De Leon in the Central Men's Bath Hall. The cubicles behind each door held a large deep tub for individual treatment.










This is the stained glass mural above the statue of Ponce De Leon in the Central Men's Bath Hall. It is original and totally intact.









This is called a needle shower and is used after the hot tub treatment and the packing treatment (hot towel draped on you while you rest). There might even be a salt rub to slough off rough areas and give you a glow.











If your doctor wrote a prescription for you water therapy would be available for you. For the pictured treatment here you would stand in front of the hoses which would be aimed at the parts of you that hurt. The person on the other end could control both pressure and direction. Hmmmmm- interesting - something akin to waterboarding with a doctor's script.
There was also a table (not pictured) but for those of you who need a visual - picture a morticians table with the hole in it. Those treated here had colonic cleansing. You were requested to bring your own nozzle to fit on the end of the hose. There is probably no need to go in to great detail here. We put people out for that type of procedure today.



This is the Hubbard Tub. Patients were lowered into the hot spring water and aided by a "therapist". Many people used this tub during the polio outbreak of the 40's and 50's.










You could bake yourself in one of these steam machines - again only if your doctor wrote the prescription for it. After roasting, ice would be set below you and cool you down.










This is the music room on the third floor. Again note the tile. Each of these small tiles was placed by hand to form patterns. An original Knabe piano is in the background.











In addition to hydrotherapy, physical therapy was also offered. These are examples of Zander mechano-therapy equipment that was actually used.









More examples of the Zander machines.









A massage table. People would spend weeks at Hot Spring taking advantage of all that was offered to cure what ailed them.










This is the men's gymnasium. Women did not have one - they did not sweat or perspire in those days. They contented themselves in watching their men exercise. This gym is rumored to have been used by Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth.









Someone should tell this woman not to touch that water - it is HOT! John immersed both of his hand in it and pronounced himself cured. He probably would have cured the rest of himself - but there is probably some ordinance against that!