Fordyce Bathhouse (Park Visitor Center)
The largest bathhouse on the row at approximately 28,000 square feet, the Fordyce opened in 1915.
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Fordyce Bathhouse (Park Visitor Center) Details
The largest bathhouse on Bathhouse Row at approximately 28,000 square feet, the Fordyce opened in 1915. Now used as the Hot Springs National Park visitor center, the building has three main floors, two courtyards, and a basement. The Fordyce was the first bathhouse on the Row to go out of business when it closed in 1962, but it was extensively restored by 1989 and is now not only the visitor center, but also an historically furnished museum. The first floor features marble and stained-glass transoms, as well as a ceramic fountain. The dressing rooms and men's massage rooms originally occupied the second floor; today, visitors can watch the 9-minute movie "Taking the Baths," which explains a traditional bathing routine. The third floor features the music room, with a patterned tile floor, stained glass ceiling, and gymnasium. In its day, the bathhouse also offered private staterooms and a bowling alley in the basement. It also offered more services than any of the other bathhouses, including the standard hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, massage, mercury treatments, a beauty parlor, and a shoe shine stand. Visitors today can take a self-guided tour of the bathhouse, as well as watch the 15-minute park movie, "Valley of Vapors." Guided tours of the Fordyce are also offered.
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Nearby Parks Around Fordyce Bathhouse (Park Visitor Center)
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Nearby Points of Interest Around Fordyce Bathhouse (Park Visitor Center)
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Fordyce Bathhouse (Park Visitor Center) while the map context is still fresh.
0.1 mi away
Oak Trail
The West Mountain Trails, including Oak Trail, sit just behind and to the west of Bathhouse Row.
0.1 mi away
Buckstaff Bathhouse
The Buckstaff Bathhouse has been in continuous use since it opened in 1912.
0.1 mi away
Quapaw Bathhouse
The Quapaw Bathhouse sits on the site of two previous bathhouses, the Horseshoe and Magnesia.
0.1 mi away
Hot Springs National Park Administration Building
At the south end of the National Historic Landmark District is the Hot Springs National Park Administration Building.
0.1 mi away
Bathhouse Row
The eight buildings of Bathhouse Row make up the centerpiece of Hot Springs National Park.
