Hot Springs National Park Buckstaff Bathhouse Historic Structures Report

Standing proudly along Central Avenue in Hot Springs National Park, the Buckstaff Bathhouse is a living testament to more than a century of American spa culture. Opened in 1912, it is the only bathhouse on Bathhouse Row to have continuously welcomed visitors seeking the healing thermal waters that made Hot Springs famous. Together with its neighboring bathhouses, the Buckstaff forms part of a nationally significant collection of early 20th-century architecture that reflects the elegance, optimism, and evolving health traditions of its era.

A team from the Bodwé Buildings branch prepared a comprehensive Historic Structures Report (HSR) to preserve and guide the Buckstaff’s future.

The HSR was developed in two parts:

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Part I

Developmental History presented an engaging, illustrated history of Bathhouse Row and the Buckstaff’s role within it. Archival photographs, narratives, and a detailed condition assessment documented the bathhouse’s evolution from its Edwardian origins, through the height of public bathing culture in the 1920s–40s, to its present-day operation.

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Part II

Treatment and Use explored practical and preservation-sensitive options for the building’s future. This included visioning workshops, recommended treatments, and a Class C construction cost estimate.

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The project assessed architectural and site features, structural systems, and dynamic building systems to ensure that preservation aligned with modern safety, accessibility, and operational needs. This included evaluating the historic elevator for safety and ADA compliance, developing fire protection upgrades to meet contemporary standards, and documenting a planned HVAC replacement to balance comfort with historic integrity. Hazardous materials testing, site surveys, and an analysis of potential adaptive uses—such as continued bathhouse operations with complementary amenities like a café—were also completed.

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The resulting HSR prioritized treatments that protect the bathhouse’s historic character while ensuring it remains safe, accessible, and viable for the future. More than a technical document, it will be a preservation blueprint—honoring the Buckstaff’s cultural legacy, sustaining its role in the living tradition of thermal bathing, and ensuring that future generations can experience both its architectural beauty and its unique place in America’s health and leisure history.