• water flowing over rocks into basin

    Hot Springs

    National Park Arkansas

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  • Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center Closed

    The Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center is closed until Fall 2013 for a major maintenance project. A temporary park Visitor Center, along with the park store, are located in the Lamar Bathhouse at the south end of Bathhouse Row. Call for more information.

People

People of Ral City on Hot Springs Mountain

People of "Ral City" on Hot Springs Mountain, 1878

National Park Service image from HOSP archives

People have been coming to this area for centuries, mostly to soak in the thermal waters flowing from Hot Springs Mountain. Others came to work in the bathhouses or businesses associated with the "American Spa."

Explore this section to learn more about the people involved in the history of Hot Springs National Park.

 

Read about the role of African Americans in the bathing industry. These are excerpts from an interactive kiosk program at the park visitor center. You can purchase the entire program from the park's Eastern National store.

Did You Know?

The Lamar Spring and collection pool, with brick walkway surrounding, with steam rising above.

Water emerging from the hot springs in Hot Springs National Park fell as rain when the pyramids of Egypt were built—4400 years ago!