Rawley Springs is an unincorporated community in Rockingham County, 9 miles west of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and was once known for its lavish medical resort. European men began to settle the land in the early 19th century. One of the earliest settlers was Benjamin Smith, who sent his wife Elizabeth to the springs for her health in 1810. Doctors were perplexed on what was causing her illness, but within six weeks of staying at the springs and drinking the water she was cured. Shortly after, people began to set up summer camps by the springs. Joseph Hicks is credited for purchasing land and officially advertising the small village as a resort community in 1824.
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#TravelTuesday
Atlantic City as a winter resort
This month we are heading down to Atlantic City, New Jersey. Atlantic City has been known as a summertime resort since it was incorporated in 1854. The first hotel was the Belloe house, built in 1853, and has been home to the Miss American Pageant. The city was the inspiration for the board game Monopoly.
Many of us may know Atlantic City as a summertime resort, but did you know it also advertised itself as a winter resort for its “sanitary effect upon diseases and invalids?”
Sharon Springs
This month we are visiting Schoharie County, New York! The village of Sharon Springs is west of Albany and is near attractions such as Howe Caverns, Adirondack Park, Catskill Park, Fenimore Art Museum and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Sharon Springs, before European settlement, was frequented by the Iroquois population for the spring’s natural healing waters. Major European settlement began in 1825 with the establishment of a boarding house opened by David Eldredge.
The Royal Victoria Hotel
This month we are leaving the United States and heading to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas’ capital, Nassau!
The American Civil War (1861-1865) brought an unusual increase in affluent American southern tourists to the Bahamas when Nassau acted as a blockade for the exchange of American goods. The Bahama government, hoping to cash in on the industry, built its first luxury hotel, the Royal Victoria Hotel.
Saratoga Springs
This month we are visiting Saratoga County, New York – home of the Saratoga Springs! Saratoga Springs has been a popular resort for health for over 200 years.
The land was originally home to the Mohawk and Iroquois tribes, who used its forests for hunting and the mineral springs for health. Sir William Johnson of the French and Indian War spent his time healing at the springs after befriending the Native Americans of the area.
A European settlement was started in 1819, and quickly gained tourism success in 1832, when the Saratoga and Scenectady Railroad Station was built. By 1870, there was an express train from New York City to the resort town, furthering the springs’ expansion.
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The Paxinosa Inn
This month we are joining the library team on their travel up towards Bethlehem, PA, for Caitlin’s wedding!
The Paxinosa Inn was a short-lived, but popular, destination for locals in the Philadelphia and New York areas. The inn was named after the 18th century Shawnee Chief who lived in the area and negotiated trade routes with the French.
The inn opened on July 3, 1888, and sat along the Weygadt Mountain (meaning wind gate), overlooking the Delaware River. The home was built entirely of wood and held 82 guest rooms. A. Stanley Standford and his sister oversaw the building and its daily activities.
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Lake Minnewaska
This month we are traveling to the East Coast and visiting Lake Minnewaska in New York!
Minnewaska State Park Preserve is located in Ulster County and spans 22, 275 acres. The park overlooks the Catskill Mountains and is known for its hiking and biking trails, along with swimming, snowshoeing, and picnicking. Historically, the property was known for much more.
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