Bathhouse Row

 This is the smallest national park in the US - it was so small we couldn't find it at first!  

This area has long been touted as having healing waters, the promise of panacea attracting the hordes for at least two centuries.  I'm surprised though - if it works so well - why do we still have any health problems...?!

 The beginning of Bathhouse Row.  Here is the Lamar Bathhouse, which served as the National Park's temporary visitor center.

The Fordyce Bathhouse, which is the main visitor center.  You can take yourself on a tour of the facilities, which have been kept pretty much the same as they were when it closed in 1962 (but note that some of these bathhouses are still open and operating!).

 A fountain in the lobby - hot springs water used to flow through this statuary.  There are many elegant elements to these old buildings, and it's great that they've been so well maintained overall - at least in this representative building.

 One of the big bath rooms.

 In the center of this bath hall is another hot springs statuary/fountain, and above it, this beautiful stained glass skylight.

 Interesting-looking shower and bath stalls (that have bathtubs) that line the four sides of the bath hall.  

A bathhouse can consist of several facilities - a gym, beauty parlor, all sorts of "medical" treatments (including electric shock therapy, mercury rubs, etc.!), and recovery rooms and parlors.  Above is shown the women's parlor - there's a separate one for the men.  Check out the pretty arched stained glass skylights.  There was also a piano and other proper, female-appropriate diversions...!

 More bathhouses.

 In between the main street (Spring Street) and the bathhouses is a magnolia-lined sidewalk.    Makes for a nice stroll down health & history.

And the star of the show, the Arlington Hotel & Spa, which first opened in 1875.