Story: Hot Springs National Park, One of the nation's smallest treasures.

The rolling hills are covered by a thick, green forest of hickory, ash, and pine. One mountain weeps hot, steamy tears from scores of rocky fissures that were worshiped by the ancients. Explorers and settlers eased their weary bones in its pools. People came in ever increasing numbers setting up cabins, barns, and stores. Some built sheds over the bubbling springs and charged admission. Shops, streets, and businesses gathered. What should this place be called? “Hot Springs”, naturally.

Probably no place in Arkansas, or anywhere else for that matter, is more aptly named. The place’s claim to fame is literally it’s abundance of natural hot springs and the luxury bath-house culture that eventually emerged from it.

Entering the city from the north, on Highway 7, brings us to Hot Spring’s Historic District. The effort to restore this mile-long stretch is clearly evident in its attractive street lamps festooned with banners and flowers. It is a friendly and welcome sight.

About a block into the Historic District is a tall building sporting twin towers. It’s the Arlington Hotel. This grand old gal was built in 1924, her third incarnation, after fire destroyed two previous versions. But the shops, restaurants, galleries, theaters, and other tourist attractions, mostly on one side of Central Avenue can hardly, in themselves, account for the amount of activity here. Surely, something else must contribute to the vitality of this area.

The jolly green giant in this neighborhood lives on the other side of the street, opposite the shops. Hot Springs National Park, legally and officially separate from the city of Hot Springs, is very much a player in what’s happening here. The famous bath house row makes Hot Springs National Park the favorite of more than 1.3 million recreational visitors each year. (For more information, visit the official park web site, http://www.nps.gov/hosp ).

Once there were a dozen or so of these classic palaces, but now only a handful remain, each one being carefully restored by the park service. One, the Fordyce Bathhouse, serves as the parks showplace and museum. Currently, only one, the Buckstaff Baths, privately operated, has been in continuous service since 1912 and is the best preserved of the group. It still provides all types of bathing, tub, shower, steam, whirlpool, along with hot and cold packs and massages.

I am told by someone at the front desk of the Fordyce, that in about a year, the spa next door, the Quapa Baths, now being restored, will open to the public. It will offer the unique service of group-soaks in a large hot pool, (bathing suits required). The Quapa, named in honor of an Indian tribe, is an elegant, domed structure that seems to have taken inspiration from distant, and ancient sources of architectural design.

Hot Springs has a storied and colorful history. Early disputes over land and water rights were rife, and initial development of the area was chaotic. In 1832 the federal government acquired four sections of prime land for the sole purpose of protecting a natural resource, the first act of its kind ever taken by congress. Taken 40 years prior to Yellowstone being designated as a national park, this act makes Hot Springs National Park the oldest in the park system.

Several decades of legal wrangling ensued until finally in 1877, the government took active control of the property. Another half century passed before the reservation would become a National Park, the 18th such park in the nation. Hot Springs National Park also enjoys other distinctions. With 5,500 acres, it is the smallest of all national parks, and is also the only one to be found within the boundaries of a city.

The earliest periods of wooden bathing facilities were punctuated by destructive fires or simple rot. But before the end of the 19th century, the era of luxurious, European style spas was in full bloom. This continued well into the 20th century and saw palatial structures being constructed of the finest materials; marble, stone, brass, and elegant stained glass.

The popularity of the baths made Hot Springs something of a resort town, with fancy hotels, night clubs, and a Vegas style joie-de-vivre. Over the years, it has attracted its share of big names and heavy hitters in the world of entertainment and politics. As I wander these streets and poke around the bath houses, and especially the Arlington Hotel, I become keenly aware of the legendary connection with the Chicago mob to these parts.

Currently on display in the lobby of the Arlington, is a 1928 Cadillac specially built for the quintessential gangster, with it’s armor plating and bullet proof glass. Placed atop the car is a bust of the big man himself, Al Capone. The management can even tell you the number of his favorite room in the hotel, and how he would take over an entire floor during his visits to Hot Springs.

One of the nicest surprises is the beautifully maintained grounds behind the bath houses. The Promenade featured prominently in the social life of the Golden Age. Here, spa patrons could stroll along brick paved paths in the cool of the evening, seeing and being seen.

The National Park is not limited to bath house row in the historic district, which sits at the base of Hot Springs Mountain.. A glance at the official site map shows extended areas, including other mountains with names like Sugarloaf, Music, West, and North. Atop Hot Springs Mountain is a 216 foot tower with an open deck at the top affording incredible views of the area. At the park’s edge, just outside the city, is a beautiful, scenic park called Gulpha Gorge with facilities for campers and RV’ers.

Hot Springs National Park is well worth the visit. The partnership between the town and the park offers the visitor a unique blend of history, scenery, and discovery, with other amenities and attractions available in the city and outlying areas. Hot Springs is the site of Oaklawn Jockey Club thoroughbred race track. Nearby is beautiful Hamilton Lake. Roughly 30 minutes south is the world class Garvan Gardens, 210 acres of woodland gardens.

But, if you’re like me, I can’t wait to get back to bathhouse row, take a hot soak in the healing waters, and maybe finish with a massage. Afterwards, I might hit the bar at the Arlington for refreshments.