Berkeley Springs is located in West Virginia, and before European settlement was used by the native people of St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada. Later, settlers took to the springs because of its warm, healing properties as early as 1730.
Real development began in March of 1748 when George Washington visited to survey Eastern land for Thomas Fairfax. The region became a popular spot, and Fairfax built a summer home and private bath on the grounds, bringing the Virginia elite to the area. By 1776, the General Assembly of Virginia formed the town of Bath and contracted five bathhouses to establish a family resort.
An attraction of the springs was also the Berkeley Springs Hotel, which could host 500 guests. There were several pools, each with specific directions to follow: one should never bathe on a full stomach, or when the system was generally exhausted and fatigued. It was highly suggested that women did not plunge in the baths more than once a day.
Today, the state park still holds a mineral spa that is naturally a warm 74.3 degrees. Roman style bathhouses offer massages, saunas, baths, and showers. If bathing is not your thing, the park offers camping, golf, museums, and swimming.
Sources:
Berkley Springs. (Medical Trade Ephemera Collection) Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
“Berkley Springs State Park.” West Virginia State Parks, 2019. Website. https://wvstateparks.com/park/berkeley-springs-state-park/
“Family Friendly Vacations.” Travel Berkley Springs, 2016. Website. http://berkeleysprings.com/attractions/