This month we are thinking of warmer weather in Rockbridge County, Virginia. Rockbridge opened as a resort in the 1830s by James Campbell, who hoped to exploit the growing interest in the nearby waters. The resort was then sold to brothers John and William Fraizer in 1850, and they began buildings its 36 buildings by 1853.
By 1859, the resort was 15 acres and could host 800 guests. The water was said to contain alum, copper ,and magnesia that could cure scrofula, also known as tuberculosis of the neck lymph nodes. There were also claims from the Medical Association of Virginia that the waters helped those with dyspepsia, consumption, liver issues, diseases peculiar to females, diarrhea, dysentery, and chronic skin conditions. Besides the healing water, the resort also featured a golf course, swimming pool, bowling alleys, billiard rooms, and riding stables. The Grand Hotel boasted that it received mail three times a day, and most importantly that “Our place offers as good an opening as can be found anywhere in Virginia for young ladies who desire clever husbands.”
The property was closed to the public during the American Civil War when its cottages were used as a hospital for disabled soldiers, and was re-opened in 1865. The property never fully recovered and was sold at public auction in 1941 and later was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Today, the land constitutes of 60 acres with 16 buildings and structures such as the original spring chambers, gazebo, and bandstand from when the resort was a popular destination during the 19th century to early 20th century. Since 1992, it has operated under a non-dominational Christian youth organization, Young Life, as a campground.
Resources:
Atkins, Charlotte Lou. “Rockbridge Alum Springs: A History of the Spa: 1790-1794.” Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. May, 1974. Website. https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/74115/LD5655.V855_1974.A84.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Fox, Larry C. and Yce H. Stapen. “The Spa Life.” The Washington Post. March 25, 1988.
Kirschner, Glenn L. “The Economic Impact of Rockbridge. Alum Springs in the 1880s.” 1984. https://repository.wlu.edu/bitstream/handle/11021/32332/RG38_Kirschner_SOAN_1984.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Rockbridge Alum Springs. (Medical Trade Ephemera Collection) Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
“Rockbridge Alum Springs.” The University of Virginia. 2007. Website. http://exhibits.hsl.virginia.edu/springs/rockbridge/