Taking a “spa day” is a relatively common practice in today’s society, especially for those seeking cathartic rejuvenation, relaxation, and the ultimate reset via some pampering me time. Spa days are also among the most popular picks for Mother’s Day, with several locations even offering up special packages tailored specifically for the occasion. While many assume spa days are modern concepts, their longevity can actually be traced back to antiquity. And one renowned favorite based in West Virginia has an ongoing tenure predating colonialization.
I’m referring to Berkeley Springs, in West Virginia. World-renowned for its natural hot springs rich in minerals, Berkeley Springs is believed to be home to the oldest bathhouse spa in all of the continental United States. As popular today as it ever was, this Flashback Friday Feature serves to pamper you with a therapeutic overview of famed historic Berkeley Springs.
Precolonial History
The spa benefits of Berkeley Springs and its therapeutic healing powers were legendary long before the hype of going to a spa was a thing. It was even sought out by indigenous people, far and wide, from all over the Americas. Evidence even shows people from the Great Lakes as well as from the Carolinas making the trek here. Others came all the way from the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada.
Native Americans in the immediate area were the first to tout the natural springs to the first European settlers in what is now the greater Berkeley Springs area. This was as early as the 1730s, well before the Colonies gained independence as a new nation.
Early Promotion
One of the earliest and most famous promoters of the therapeutic benefits of the natural springs was none other than George Washington. Long before his presidency, as a young boy of 16, he visited the site while serving as a member of a survey party that was surveying the western limits of Thomas Lord Fairfax’s lands. The group camped here on March 18, 1748. Per his diary entry by Washington, he stated the following: “We this day called to see Ye Fam’d Warm Springs.”
George Washington would continue to visit the spring for many years afterward and was one of its most adamant advocates. He is directly attributed to the Colony of Virginia’s eventual public interest in it for its healthful benefits.
The General Assembly of Virginia established this location as the Colony’s own take on the Town of Bath in 1776. A board of trustees was formed to govern the new town. Among its most prominent members was James Rumsey, who would later go on to invent the first successful steamboat. He directly built five bathhouses and several other public buildings, officially declaring the springs as a resort facility.
Centuries of Bathing
Two and a half centuries later, thousands of contented visitors have enjoyed the plentiful and soothing benefits of baths and treatments provided courtesy of the natural, warm mineral waters produced by springs. The temperature remains at a constant 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit and produces 2,000 gallons of clear, sparkling water per minute.
Since those early days of Old Roman and Main bathhouses, Berkeley Springs has offered a wide range of spa services to cater to seekers of differing needs, wants, and desires. From massages to saunas, baths to showers, facials and more, offerings and options remain as accentuating today as they’ve forever been and always will be.
Whether you wish to give Mom a memorable spa day or pursue the perfection of these benefits yourself, Berkeley Springs is a quintessential experience. Learn more at the website.