Warm Weather and Hot Springs
Upon our arrival to Hot Springs, Arkansas, we were met with beautiful spring weather. After prior weeks in very chilly temperatures, the warmer climate was a welcome sight.
Our stay was limited to a week and the very warm temperatures were expected to drop by the weekend, so we packed as much as possible into four days. Of course, the first item of order was a visit to the quaint downtown area of Hot Springs. We were surprised to learn the historical “hot springs” area, (including Bathhouse Row), is part of a national park. It was the first time I have seen the aspects of a village inside a national park. The architecture of the area was stunning.
Nestled in the Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs is well-known for the thermal hot springs that flow from the mountains. As faults formed these mountains millions of years ago, rock layers cracked allowing rainwater to travel through them 6,000 to 8,000 feet into the earth, getting hotter the closer it came to the earth’s core. By the way, this takes 4,000 years. That water then hits a fault line “bouncing” it back to the earth’s surface. As it travels, the water brushes against the minerals in the rocks which produces the minerally rich water flowing from the hot springs; famously known to provide healing benefits.
What may not be as widely known is that the minerals of the Ouachita’s also form Novaculite, a microcrystalline quartz only found in these mountains and over 400 million years old. Even though this type of quartz is common, the variety is not.
Native America’s were known to use these rocks to carve weapons and tools. Although geology is not my specialty, my understanding is when fractured by a blow, the rock breaks in a way that would make it easy to carve. It does not crumble like some rocks would when hit, but instead breaks into a shell-like form (conchoidal) which allows it to be carved. An example can be seen in the photo. It seems counterintuitive that a rock is soft enough to be broken yet hard enough to hold up to its intended purpose. I suspect there is additional geological information that would further explain this but that is all my brain can absorb.
While hiking, we saw these rocks everywhere. We saw color variations of black, gray, white and a beautiful rose color. Given most trees were without leaves and wildflowers were limited, these rocks made the hike interesting.
As we searched for the hot springs in the park, we learned most were covered to preserve the integrity of the water. That is necessary because there are stations around the area where one can fill up a jug of fresh spring water. Of course, we forgot our jugs.
We found the “tourist” hot spring, where people are allowed to feel the water to assess how hot it is. We did. It felt warm, similar to a hot tub. We were told it is 143 degrees coming out of the earth, but farther into the small pool of water it cools to about 105 degrees. There were vibrant emerald-green remnants on the rock where the water came out. We learned it takes 400 years for that water to come from the fault line – to that little spot where our fingers touched. To put that into perspective, the water we touched started its climb to the hot spring approximately the same year Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts! When added to the 4,000 years it took for the water to flow down the mountain, the entire process takes 4,400 years. The water that felt as warm as a hot tub began its journey to that small pool of water in the 24th century; around the time the pyramids in Egypt were built! Boom! Drop the mic! How cool is that?
If that wasn’t mind-blowing enough, we continued on to learn about the hot springs medicinal history. We visited Fordyce Bathhouse, now a museum of the preserved bathhouse. Although the forty-seven hot springs of the area have a history dating farther back than the 1800’s, we focused our visit on learning about the therapeutic draw of the eight bathhouses. It was believed hydropathy would cure many diseases including polio, cancer, and even hiccups! The thermal mineral water flowing through these springs into the bathhouses drew the rich and famous, including the likes of Babe Ruth, Al Capone, Jesse James, and Helen Keller. Yes, men also wanted a little pampering!
Today us ladies fondly think of spas as an appealing way to spend a day or even a weekend. However, when looking at the bathhouses of the late 1800s to early1900s, it is hard to imagine it being appealing. By our standards, these “spas” seemed very antiquated and treatments were far more than just soaking in a warm tub.
The Chiropody Room, not to be confused with a nail salon offering pedicures, was a place to remove cysts on the feet. To avoid surgery, the cysts, and I quote, “would be crushed and slid off with sideward knuckle punches”. Can anyone say barf!
Moving on…we next learned about the sauna, or steam cabinet room. Unlike the colorful cedar saunas of today, the “vapor cabinet” was a steaming box with temperatures of 115 to 140 degrees. No surprise, these vapor cabinets caused profuse sweating, rapid pulse, and high body temperature! Up to 30 minutes in these boxes would treat various ailments, one of which was obesity. Given up to 60% of the human body is made up of water, I suppose it is likely one might lose weight! Services also included electrotherapy massages and mercury rubs. What a spa!
The bathtub rooms and beauty salon weren’t as disturbing but very sterile in nature. Despite being somewhat outdated in look, the equipment was similar to what we use today.
Now before you stop reading, there was beauty in the bathhouses. Overnight rooms, the gym, changing rooms, and lounging areas were quite nice. The lounges even featured writing desks and a baby grand piano. These bathhouses were considered elegant both in appearance and in the building materials used. Marble and stained glass were seen in many areas.
It is hard for us to imagine the rich and famous (or anyone) wanted such extreme medicinal treatments, but at the time, this was advanced technology. History brings perspective and appreciation for the advances we all are blessed to have now, doesn’t it?
The rest of our time in the area was spent hiking and enjoying the beautiful weather. We visited the Garvan Woodland Gardens, the University of Arkansas’s botanical gardens, gifted by Verna Cook Garvan. What a beautiful place! Despite the early season, daffodils, Japanese camellias, and hyacinths were in bloom. Unfortunately, we were a little early to see 135,000 tulips in bloom. In addition to the natural beauty, there was beauty in the man-made structures, like the Anthony Chapel and Anthony Family Trust Carillon, a 57-foot electronic bell tower equipped with computerized chimes that can be heard throughout the gardens. I had a hard time not stopping every minute to take photos and an even harder time not sharing them all with you! Here’s a sampling of this beautiful place.
Our visit to Hot Springs and its beautiful spring weather was a such a refreshing comfort to Jim and me after a trying winter. Although life may look uncertain sometimes, God is always faithful, and joy does come in the morning!
Psalms 30:1b
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
