Red Sulphur Springs Hotel opened in 1832 in the unincorporated community in Monroe County, West Virginia. Dr. William Burke built the hotel to accommodate 350 guests, hoping to use the springs for health. Dr. Burke personally used the springs for pulmonary health, but also claimed the springs could heal inflammations, whether stomach, liver, spleen, intestines, kidneys, or bladder. Large parties were hosted nightly, making it a popular summer resort.
Eventually, the ownership passed to Levi Morton, Vice-President under President Benjamin Harrison.
The Springs Hotel closed in 1917, and was demolished and divided into lots. Nothing remains but the stone enclosure of the springs.
Sources:
“Attractions in and around Monroe…” Travel Monroe, 2012. Website. http://www.travelmonroe.com/attractions.html
Burke, William. (1860) Red Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, Virginia. Red Sulphur Springs (Va.): D.A. St. Clair.
Red Sulphur Springs. (Medical Trade Ephemera Collection) Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
“Taking the Waters. 19th Century Medicinal Springs of Virginia.” University of Virginia, 2007. Website. http://exhibits.hsl.virginia.edu/springs/redsulphur/