A Visit to Fordyce Bathhouse

 Bathhouse row is located in the National Park of Hot Springs. The hot spring waters were first found by Native Americans. In the 1540 Hernando de Soto also discovered this area. The sculpture below, of de Soto greeting a native who presents him with a container of the spring water, we saw immediately as we entered  the Fordyce bathhouse.

 In the early 1800s crude huts sprung up around the springs. People soon found the spring waters to be physically restorative. The promise of improved health also drew Civil War veterans and others with disabling conditions to the springs. In 1876 the Supreme Court ruled against any private land claims and assured that the thermal waters would be available to all. From 1892 to 1923 eight public bathhouses were built,compromising of what is now know as Bathhouse Row. Presently the Fordyce, built in 1915, is the park visitor center and museum. The Buckstaff, built in 1912, is the only operating bathhouse. We had 4 floors to explore at the Fordyce which has been restored back to its 1915 appearance.

The Fordyce is the largest and thought to be the most ornate of the bathhouses. It has stained glass skylights and windows, as well as stone fireplaces. The bathhouse is divided into a men's area as well as a women's section. The men's area was deemed to be quite more sumptuous than the facilities for the women.  Pictured below are the steam cabinets for use by the men. It was thought that by using the steam cabinet skin secretions would be stimulated. Besides tub baths and steam cabinets there was a hydrotherapy room which included sun-ray cabinets, frigid cabinets,Sitz baths, sprays, electric baths and so forth. 

The women felt there were not enough tubs for them. One more was added. The first room which we toured in their section is pictured below. Notice the stained glass windows.

The women had a hot pack room as well as a cooling down room, and a state room to rest in afterwards.  Maybe I need to digress here and explain the uniqueness of these waters, as explained in the park's brochure. Rain and snow trickle down the ridges of the Ouachita Mountains. Gravity pulls the water further downward into into the earth's crust. The rock temperature increases with depth and the water emerges from the springs with a temperature of 143 degrees F. When the water reaches a major fault, pressure forces it upward. It is not a volcanic process that creates the hot springs. There are a total of 47 springs in Hot Springs. The water has been analyzed- it has a variety of minerals in the water; silica and calcium are the major ones- as well as free carbon dioxide and oxygen. While bathing the patrons would be given a glass of the water to drink.  And today there are fountains around Hot Springs where one may take a drink or fill up a jug..

Hubbard Tub -for the disabled to be lowered into the waters

Practice of medicine was a bit strange back then. We found a chiropody room in the bathhouse. In the 1930s, people could have their feet massaged, pedicures done as well as corns and bunions removed. In 1936 doctors came up with an electrical massage room which later was converted to a mercury rub room. Needless to say,we saw a few very curious equipment in some of the rooms!

A Body-Encompassing Needle Shower

The "crown jewel" of the Fordyce is the Assembly Room where both sexes could gather and socialize. A grand piano was in this room. The building also had a pool table in the men's parlor.

Assembly Room

Our final stop in the Fordyce was in the basement where we could see the original Fordyce Spring, as well as all the plumbing equipment once used to deliver the water to the bathing rooms. The bathhouse industry went into decline during mid-twentieth century as modern medicine was found to be the better treatment for many illnesses.