Along the way: Hot Springs Bath house

January 2012 we set out on a trip from Virginia to points west. Our first stop was Hillsville Virginia to visit with Kim and Billie Kaye Robinette for a couple of days.
Kim, Michael and I attended the same high school in Williamsburg, VA a few years ago!
We always enjoy our time in Hillsville, relaxing and spending time with good friends.

http://www.hillsville.com/

We left Hillsville heading for Hot Springs Village, AK where we would stay with friends of Michael's from his army days. I had not yet met them, and I was in for a treat. Rollie and Mary White are warm and generous people who made sure we had a good time while there.
While Michael and Rollie went out to do guy stuff, Mary and I had some girl fun. We shopped, then we lunched, then we shopped, then we had a pedicure. We went to see the Baths..and she offered to take me for a treatment..but I declined . I think I am the only human that does not enjoy a massage.. We had a great pancake breakfast at a diner in town, and went to watch them at their ballroom dancing class.
On the last day that we were there we took a tour of Hot Springs Village. It actually is a whole town, with medical facilities, and stores and a nice gym all contained in the community. It is really a beautiful place to live, mountains(foothills I guess)and lakes, golf courses, and a wide variety of houses, some very traditional and some very modern.

http://www.nps.gov/hosp/index.htm

A walk in Hot Springs.
The Ohio Club was a house of prostitution during the early 1900's. The hot springs were used to "cure" the diseases that you might find there..

This gentleman was sweeping his storefront and gave a brief history of the town and The Ohio Club.. He was very kind to take the time to give us an interesting take on life in the early 1900's.

http://www.city-data.com/articles/Gangster-Museum-of-America-Hot-Springs.html

http://www.hotsprings.org/pages/history/

The steam coming up outside the baths..stinky LOL

The park service officer will give you a paper cup to take to the fountain at the end of the walkway to have a taste of the springs. It did not taste as bad as it smelled. There is a nice walkway by the fountain that leads back to the center of town, a lot of steamy places to see.