Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Hot Springs National Park marks 100 years
Thursday marked 100 years since Congress designated Hot Springs National Park as such on March 4, 1921.
“You know, 100 years seems like a very long time, and I guess it is compared to our human lifetimes, but when you can go to one of the park fountains and fill up a jug of water that fell as rainfall more than 4,000 years ago, it really kind of puts time in a different perspective, doesn’t it?” said park Superintendent Laura Miller, alluding to the journey of rainfall through ground and into the Ouachita Mountains before emerging through the hot springs.
Thursday’s event held on the Fordyce Bath House porch brought out prominent figures including Herbert Frost — the park service regional director who had never before been to Arkansas — and even a Charlie Chaplin look-alike.
Chaplin — better known by locals as Bill Solleder when without face paint and a black bowl hat — presented Hot Springs Mayor Pat McCabe with a proclamation from the city that declares March 4, 2021, “Hot Springs National Park Day.”
“Whereas, encourage residents and visitors alike to celebrate Hot Springs National Park’s Centennial, and remember its mission to protect and promote future generations preservation of its natural features in history,” McCabe said, reading from the proclamation prior to officially presenting it to Miller.
McCabe was not the only one to mark the momentous day on paper. Julie Williams, field representative for U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, presented Miller with an entry into the Congressional Record drafted by Westerman, who was not in attendance.
“Something that’s incredibly impactful is this day will be forever remembered in the annuals of congressional history,” Williams said. “Here’s the words of the congressman on the floor:
“‘Madame Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hot Springs National Park. Nearly 5,500 acres of forested hills settle just above historic downtown Hot Springs, Ark., protecting 47 thermal water springs. Hot Springs National Park attracts millions of tourists each year with its rich, multigenerational legacy of preserving history and conserving natural resources for public health, wellness, and enjoyment.’”
Noting the site’s history, Westerman recalled that the land where the park sits was first designated as Hot Springs Reservation by Congress in 1832. On March 4, 1921, it was officially designated as a national park.
The park area was acquired by the U.S. in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, known then as the “hot springs of the Washita,” according to the Central Arkansas Library System’s Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
Heralded for its hot mineral springs, thought to have therapeutic benefits, the area was transformed into private health resorts by local settlers during the ensuing decades.
“On April 20, 1832, the United States Congress set aside the area now known as Hot Springs National Park to preserve the springs for public benefit,” an entry in the Encyclopedia reads. “As the ‘Government Spa’ evolved, it continued to operate for the benefit of the public by setting a range of treatment costs to give rich and poor alike access to the waters and by allowing the destitute to bathe without charge.”
The mineral springs are created by a geological process that begins with rainfall in the Ouachita Mountain system. The hot springs form after the rain water goes through a series of reactions deep within the earth before emerging through cracks in the earth’s crust on the west side of Hot Springs Mountain, the Encyclopedia said.
It’s not clear when humans began to use the springs, but the first human-built structures to use the thermal springs were most likely sweat lodges created by American Indians, according to the Encyclopedia.
While Yellowstone National Park was the first national park designated by Congress in 1872, Hot Springs National Park is arguably the oldest of all the parks because Congress and President Andrew Jackson exempted the land from settlement in 1832, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
The eight surviving bathhouses on Bathhouse Row trace their roots back to the 1830s, according to the Encyclopedia. The oldest surviving bathhouse — the Hale — was built in 1892. Use of the bathhouses peaked in 1946 when over 1 million baths were taken, the Encyclopedia said. The row of bathing houses was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
“Bathhouse Row drew millions of people seeking health remedies in the thermal spring waters,” Westerman said. “Many of these bath houses still stand today, offering visitors a glimpse into local history, art, and culture.
“I take this time today to honor the National Park Service’s century of work in preserving one of Arkansas’ most valuable natural treasures. I look forward to the next 100 years of continued conservation of these local natural resources which showcase and celebrate the 4th District’s rich history.”
The springs were enclosed by 1901, but the National Park Service diverted the water in the 1980s to create a thermal water cascade, which resembles a natural thermal spring, according to the Park Service. The park is also home to several rare plant species.
Miller concluded Thursday’s event with a tribute to Mike Dugan and Clay Farrar — two local historians who died in February.
“Together, I imagine they have forgotten more Hot Springs history than any of us will ever know, and their loss is incalculable,” Miller said. “Each in his own way dedicated their lives to making this community better and making sure we don’t forget our long history.”
The park will hold a number of events to continue its centennial celebration throughout the year. Centennial events can be found at https://www.nps.gov/hosp.