Legacy Beneath the Springs
Visit Hot Springs
From the early 1800s to the present, Hot Springs, Arkansas, has played a major role in the development of the United States as we know it today. From the first settlers and the birth of horse racing to organized crime and haunting history, Hot Springs truly has it all.
The area now known as the beloved Hot Springs National Park was first established as the United States’ territory in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. By the 1830s a small community was developing as settlers welcomed visitors hoping for healing in the thermal waters.
In 1832, Congress reserved the 47 hot springs for the use of the federal government — and Hot Springs Reservation (known as Hot Springs National Park since 1921) was born. It can be called Arkansas' oldest national park. Since its birth, Hot Springs has experienced fires and other natural disasters that have reshaped the National Park known today.
THE BATHHOUSES
In the early days, bathhouses were crude tent structures over the springs or reservoirs carved out of rocks. Later, wooden bathhouses at the base of Hot Springs Mountain were supplied with hot water carried by wood flumes from the springs to the bathhouses. After the Fire of 1878 destroyed much of downtown Hot Springs, only bathhouses were allowed to rebuild on the east side of Central Avenue — thus creating Bathhouse Row.
Victorian era bathhouses were fancier but still wooden. They were replaced starting in the late 1800s with the stone and brick bathhouses that exist today. Many featured marble walls, billiard rooms, gymnasiums and stained-glass windows. Bathhouse Row was officially complete in 1923 when the Lamar Bathhouse opened its doors. The most expensive to build, the Fordyce, is today the Hot Springs National Park Visitors Center.
HOT SPRINGS STAKE IN HORSE RACING HISTORY
Racing in Hot Springs began in the late 19th century. Oaklawn began thoroughbred racing here in 1904. The race track developed a major reputation in the South over the years, staking its claim as one of the most popular horse racing destinations in the United States.
Since it was started in 1936, eight winners of the Arkansas Derby have won the Kentucky Derby. In 2004, after winning the Arkansas Derby, Smarty Jones won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.
In 2015, American Pharoah won the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup after winning the Arkansas Derby.
From December to May, people travel from all over the country to see the thoroughbreds race on the Oaklawn Race Track.
Betting and competition run deep in the water of Hot Springs.
GANGSTER TERRITORY
Hot Springs is a beautiful oasis for residents and also for visitors. Not only has it been a getaway for the everyday traveler, but also for notorious criminals. Organized crime leaders like Al Capone and Charles “Lucky” Luciano enjoyed vacations in Hot Springs. Left alone by the police and leaving their rivalries at home, they bathed and played here. Today the Arlington Hotel rents out Capone’s favorite suite, which overlooked his favorite gambling club, the Southern.
New York gang leader Owney Madden retired here after falling in love with Hot Springs’ postmaster’s daughter. They often showed the town to visiting gangsters, who networked in Hot Springs’ neutral territory.
Gangsters enjoyed Hot Springs’ illegal gambling scene. The modern gambling era started in 1927 with the election of Mayor Leo P. McLaughlin, who oversaw the clubs such as the Southern and the Belvedere. The Gangster Era ended at the same time as Hot Springs’ illegal gambling was shut down in the mid-to-late 1960s by Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. Today, people can visit the Gangster Museum of America in downtown Hot Springs to experience the history first-hand.
A HAUNTING HISTORY
“Haunt Springs” is known to be a fun destination for thrill seekers and history buffs. Visitors can experience all of the history crammed into one exciting adventure with the Haunted History Tour, hosted by Austin Ray, when the sun goes down in downtown Hot Springs. Nearly all of the stories are based on facts, so tourists from all over the world come to hear the tales first-hand every October.
The haunted tour includes attractions such as the Bathhouse Soapery and Caldarium, Bathhouse Row, The Ohio Club, Adair Park, The Arlington Hotel & Resort, and more. The spooky history is a big tourist attraction during the fall, but the hauntings happen long past Halloween night.