Hot Springs at Quapaw Baths: Relaxation & History
Today my friend and I took a long soak in the mineral rich healing waters at Quapaw Baths in Hot Springs, Arkansas. So named for the abundant hot springs coming from the mountain that is central to the town.
There is a “bathhouse row” that stretches along the Main Street.
The bathhouses are all ornately made and harken to the era when the owners were trying to replicate European bath houses. These springs have been enjoyed by many humans for thousands of years and the bath house idea is fairly modern in the scope of things!
Yesterday we dug crystals and were very sore from that so it was great to be able to relax in the hot (104 degree) waters!
My friend Amelia relaxing under the waterfall.
Quapaw is the name of a Native American tribe that used to frequent the waters so it is named in honor of them.
We only went to two of the bathhouses today and soaked at Quapaw.
The atmosphere was great and it was beautiful to be beneath the old stained glass sky lights.
The bathhouses offer not only a warm soak, but a host of other treatments.
Thankfully they’ve done away with a lot of these “healing devices”!!
Back in the day (starting in the 1800s) people flocked to the region to “cure all ailments”- including syphillis, liver disorders, palsey and more. Doctors would send their patients to bathe in the healing waters and practice hydrotherapy (as seen above) and also electrotherapy!
Literally as it sounds, shocked while in water!
This was all at Forsyce Bathhouse
beautiful stained glass
Old bathing room
Luckily we played it safe and just soaked at Quapaw!!
I must say, the waters were more relaxing than a simple bath! The minerals and power of the water coming up from deep in the earth has a special element to it!
We learned the waters sink down in the earth at 2 ft per year so the water we were soaking in was quite old indeed!! People will be enjoying the rains that are happening today in 2,000 years. That’s pretty amazing!
I would definitely recommend a little visit to the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas!
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Beautiful especially the stained glass. Ah how misguided health remedies have been through the years. What will people look back on in 60 years and not believe how wrong we are about our ideas on health?
Good point. I think we're already realizing the importance of fat, and that the vilification is damaging our health. Also I hope we wise up and move past some of the reductionist methods of medicine.
What a beautiful place. Those hot spring baths look amazing and the stained glass ceiling was beautiful. How many different bathing pools were there? Did they offer massage as well? I'm so glad you were able to have a little vacation! All the best to you both! Enjoy :) ox
Always been curious about hot springs in Arkansas. Thanks for sharing.
Look so lovely and relaxing. It was nice to see Amelia. It looks really fancy there.
Those steam cabinet rooms looks a bit weird, but I do like the shower frame. Wouldn't mind one of them at home. Glad you had a good day.
This place looks so amazing and that stained glass. I love the old shower, I think that would be wonderful to have in a house today!
Typo in your post (if you're interested)
3rd paragraph (change wet to were)
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;) thanks! Fixed it
Wow, such an interesting looking place @mountainjewel. The steam cabinet room does look a little like a torture device though, like something out of the movie The Road to Wellville ;-)
I would definitely be sticking to the spring baths :-)
thanks for capturing this piece of history!!!!! gosh...just wish i was there soaking right now. incredible photos!!!!! each one!!!
oh wow! That is such a fancy hotspring! So glad you shared photos. It really does look like a scene from a completely different era.
I love hotsprings and always seek them out when we travel. The best one was in the Yukon in the winter time with snow everywhere. It was so neat. I sure got dressed fast after though.