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imageThe remnants of an old spa in Hot Springs, NC

The remnants of an old spa in Hot Springs, NC

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These are the remnants of an old spa in Hot Springs, North Carolina. In the late 1700s, Hot Springs, then known as Warm Springs, became a popular destination for travelers during the American Revolution. A tavern was established there and was later the site of several murders and robberies. The tavern later became a hotel, which became popular after the opening of the Buncombe Turnpike, which ran from Asheville to Tennessee. This hotel burned. In the late 1800s, the site became famous for its natural hot springs, whose mineral waters supposedly cured almost any ailment. The resort burned, as did the hotels that followed it. The area was used as an internment camp for German sailors during World War I. The remains seen here are of a bathhouse built in the early 1900s.

Visitors today can also enjoy the waters of the springs. The area is now owned privately as the Hot Springs Spa and Campground. The water naturally maintains a year-temperature of around 100 degrees.