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This is a present-day picture of the exterior of Fordyce Bathhouse. Fordyce Bathhouse is located on Bathhouse Row in the downtown historic district of Hot Springs. |
Fordyce Bathhouse Photo Gallery
All pictures taken by Grace Richter
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This is a present-day picture of the exterior of Fordyce Bathhouse. Fordyce Bathhouse is located on Bathhouse Row in the downtown historic district of Hot Springs. |
| This is the ceiling of the men's bath hall in Fordyce Bathhouse. It is entitled "Neptune's Daughter" and was made from over 8000 individual glass pieces. It was made by the Condie-Neale Glass Company from St. Louis, Missouri. |  |
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This is the assembly room of Fordyce Bathhouse. It is elegantly decorated, including beautiful stained glass, detailed floor tiling and a grand piano. Men and women gathered here to relax between bathing treatments. This was the main area that both men and women were allowed to gather together. Originally, this room was for social functions; however, the federal government did not approve of such activities in this federally- protected, hospital-like bathhouse. People came to Fordyce with doctor's prescriptions to treat ailments, often very serious fatal illnesses. The government reluctantly approved to the playing of music in the assembly room, only on the condition that the schedule of music was sent to the superintendent every week. Music such as jazz was not allowed. |
| This is a ceramic statue located in the men's bath hall of Fordyce bathhouse. It shows Hernando Desoto receiving water from a Caddo Indian princess. It was made by the American Encaustic Tiling Company in Zanesville, Ohio at a cost of $745 and weighs 2500 pounds. (*interesting note: Rumor has it that Hernando De Soto never even came to Hot Springs during his travels. According to historian Dr. Charles Hudson, he never recorded anything about visiting a place that fits the description of Hot Springs.) |  |