Hot Springs, Arkansas
Encyclopedia
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state
of Arkansas
, the county seat
of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County. According to 2008 Census Bureau
estimates, the population of the city was 39,467.
Hot Springs is traditionally best known for the natural spring water that gives it its name, flowing out of the ground at a temperature of 147 °F (63.9 °C) . Hot Springs National Park
is the oldest federal reserve in the USA, and the tourist trade brought by the famous springs make it a very successful spa town
. Since Hot Springs National Park
was the oldest federal reserve, it was the first to receive its own US quarter
in April 2010 as part of the America the Beautiful Quarters.
A small channel of hot spring water known as Hot Springs Creek runs under ground from an area near Park Avenue to Bath House Row.
tribes had been gathering in the valley for untold numbers of years to enjoy the healing properties of the thermal springs.
In 1673, Father Marquette and Jolliet
explored the area and claimed it for France
. The Treaty of Paris 1763 ceded the land back to Spain; however, in 1800 control was returned to France until the Louisiana Purchase
of 1803.
In December 1804, Dr. George Hunter and William Dunbar
made an expedition to the springs, finding a lone log cabin
and a few rudimentary shelters used by people visiting the springs for their healing properties. In 1807, a man named Prudhomme became the first settler of modern Hot Springs, and he was soon joined by John Perciful and Isaac Cates.
On August 24, 1818, the Quapaw
Indians ceded the land around the hot springs to the United States in a treaty. After Arkansas
became its own territory in 1819, the Arkansas Territorial Legislature requested in 1820 that the springs and adjoining mountains be set aside as a federal reservation. Twelve years later, in 1832, the Hot Springs Reservation was created by the US Congress
, granting federal protection of the thermal waters. The Reservation was renamed Hot Springs National Park in 1921.
left Hot Springs with a declining bathing population. After the Confederate forces suffered defeat in the Battle of Pea Ridge
in March 1862, the Union troops advanced toward the Confederate city of Little Rock
. Confederate Governor Henry M. Rector moved his staff and state records to Hot Springs. Union forces did not attack Little Rock, and the government returned to the capital city on July 14, 1862.
Many residents of Hot Springs fled to Texas
or Louisiana
and remained there until the end of the war. In September 1863, Union forces occupied Little Rock. During this period, Hot Springs became the prey of guerrilla bands loosely associated with either Union or Confederate forces. They pillaged and burned the near-deserted town, leaving only a few buildings standing at the end of the Civil War.
to Hot Springs; completion in 1875 resulted in the growth of visitation to the springs. Samuel W. Fordyce and two other entrepreneur
s financed the construction of the first luxury hotel in the area, the first Arlington Hotel
which opened in 1875.
During the Reconstruction period, several conflicting land claims reached the U.S. Congress and resulted in an April 24, 1876 United States Supreme Court ruling that the land title of Hot Springs belonged to the federal government. They couldnt do anything about the federal government so they tried protesting and fight for rights. To deal with the situation, Congress formed the Hot Springs Commission to lay out streets in the town of Hot Springs, deal with land claims, define property lines, condemn buildings illegally on the permanent reservation (now the national park) and define a process for claimants to purchase land. The commission surveyed and set aside 264.93 acres (1.1 km²) encompassing the hot springs and Hot Springs Mountain to be a permanent government reservation. Another 1200 acres (4.9 km²) became the Hot Springs townsite, with 700 acres (2.8 km²) awarded to claimants. The townsite consisted of 196 blocks and 50 miles (80.5 km) of streets and alleys. The remaining portion of the original four sections of government land consisted of hills and mountains which were mostly unoccupied, and Congress acted on the commission's recommendation in June 1880 by adding those lands to the permanent reservation.
facilities, and the Crystal Theater were destroyed. A rainstorm finally quenched the blaze at Hazel Street. Although Central Avenue was ultimately protected (primarily by desperate use of dynamite), much of the southern part of the city was destroyed. Damage was estimated at $10,000,000 across 60 blocks.
Illegal gambling became firmly established in Hot Springs during the decades following the Civil War, with two factions, the Flynns and the Dorans, fighting one another throughout the 1880s for control of the town. Frank Flynn, leader of the Flynn Faction, had effectively begun paying local law enforcement officers employed by both the Hot Springs Police Department and the Garland County Sheriff's Office to collect unpaid debts, as well as to intimidate gambling rivals. This contributed to the March 16th, 1899 Hot Springs Gunfight
. Of the seven Hot Springs police officers that have been killed while in service of the department, three died during that gunfight, killed by deputies of the Garland County Sheriff's Office. One part-time deputy sheriff was killed also, by the Hot Springs officers.
Along with its Bathhouse Row, one of downtown Hot Springs' most noted landmarks is the Arlington Hotel
, a favored retreat for Al Capone
.
Hot Springs eventually became a national gambling mecca, led by Owney Madden
and his Hotel Arkansas casino. The period 1927-1947 was its wagering pinnacle, with no fewer than ten major casinos and numerous smaller houses running wide open, the largest such operation in the United States at the time. Hotels advertised the availability of prostitutes and off-track booking was available for virtually any horse race in North America.
Local law enforcement was controlled by a political machine
run by long-serving mayor, Leo P. McLaughlin. The McLaughlin organization purchased hundreds of poll tax receipts, many in the names of deceased or fictitious persons, which would sometimes be voted in different precincts. A former sheriff, who attempted to have the state's anti-gambling laws enforced and to secure honest elections, was murdered in 1937. No one was ever charged with his killing. Machine domination of city and county government was abruptly ended in 1946 with the election of a "Government Improvement" slate of returning World War II veterans led by Marine Lt. Col. Sid McMath
, who was elected prosecuting attorney. A 1947 grand jury indicted several owners and promoters, as well as McLaughlin, for public servant bribery. Although the former mayor and most of the others were acquitted, the machine's power was broken and gambling came to a halt as McMath led a statewide "GI Revolt" into the governor's office in 1948. Illegal casino gambling resumed, however, with the election of Orval Faubus
as governor in 1954. Buoyed into 12 years in office by his popular defiance of federal court desegregation orders, Faubus turned a blind eye to gambling in Hot Springs.
Gambling was finally closed down permanently in 1967 by two Republican
officeholders, Governor
Winthrop Rockefeller
and Circuit Judge
Henry M. Britt
. Rockefeller sent in a company of state troopers to shutter the casinos and burn their gaming equipment. Oaklawn Park, a thoroughbred horse racing track south of downtown, is the only remaining gambling establishment, and one of two legal gambling establishments in the state of Arkansas. The other is the Southland Greyhound Park dog track located in West Memphis, AR.
Bill Clinton
. Actor
s Alan Ladd
and Billy Bob Thornton
were born in Hot Springs and nearby Malvern
, respectively.
Fulham Davies
, stockbroker in Hot Springs, later opened the Merrill Lynch
office in Little Rock and kept it intact during the Great Depression
.
Lynn A. Davis
, the temporary head of the Arkansas state police during the Winthrop Rockefeller
administration, cleared Hot Springs of illegal gambling
in 1967.
Metropolitan diva Marjorie Lawrence
was a resident for many years. Decorated World War II
combat aviators Earl T. Ricks and I.G. Brown were Hot Springs natives who served as reform mayor and sheriff, respectively (1947–1949), before resuming their Air Force careers. The town was a haven for gangster
s in the 1930s, including longtime resident Owney Madden
and Lucky Luciano
.
Hot Springs was the home of prominent Democratic
attorney
Q. Byrum Hurst
, a member of the Arkansas State Senate from 1950–1972 and the Garland County administrative judge from 1947-1950.
Concert pianist, composer, and Broadway Mary Imogene Carpenter Feldman was born in Hot Springs but moved to Chicago
at the age of 14, after having received a scholarship to the Chicago Conservatory of Music. She later married a successful Hollywood producer.
The "Countess von Leon", the widow of Bernhard Müller
, a leader of a small 19th century Utopia
n group, spent her last years in Hot Springs, where she died in 1881. Her work is commemorated at the Germantown Colony and Museum
north of Minden
, Louisiana
, where she operated a religious commune
from 1835-1871.
Reginald Grigsby, a graduate of Hot Springs High in 1991, serves on the AAU Executive Committee of AAU Girls Basketball. Also is the first African American to serve as the Southwestern AAU Girls Basketball District Chairman.
Clergy
man A. T. Powers
lived in Hot Springs from 1943–1948, when he was the pastor of the Oaklawn Missionary Baptist Church. He relocated to Texarkana
to become director of missions.
NFL Hall of Famer Running Back Bobby Mitchell
was born in Hot Springs on June 6, 1935.
Owney "The Killer" Madden (December 18, 1891 – April 24, 1965)- Irish Mobster
, consisting of eight turn-of-the century historic buildings, lies within Hot Springs National Park and is managed by the National Park Service
, Department of the Interior. Two of the bathhouses remain in operation: The Buckstaff and the Quapaw, which was reopened in 2008. Another bathhouse, the Fordyce, has been converted into a museum to give tourists a glimpse into the fascinating past of the city. The federally-protected, natural thermal waters are also used for thermal bathing at several downtown hotels and a hospital. The water is available free for drinking at several fountains in the downtown area. It is also available free throughout the city in the homes of the residents.
The city has been a tourist mecca for generations due to the thermal waters and attractions such as Oaklawn Park, a thoroughbred racing facility; Magic Springs and Crystal Falls
theme parks; a fine arts community that has earned the city the No. 4 position among “America’s Top 100 Small Arts Towns”; the Hot Springs Music Festival
; and the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
, held each October at the historic Malco Theater, one of the top documentary festivals in the world, attracting numerous Academy Award-winning films and producers.
Oaklawn Park has been in operation since 1904. (An additional horse racing park was once within the city limits, but was eventually closed). The meet, which is annually held from January through mid-April each year, is sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Season" and features the "Racing Festival of the South" during the last week of the racing season each April. Many Triple Crown
contenders compete in the Arkansas Derby, which is the big finale each year of the meet. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
, his half-brother Roger
, and Billy Bob Thornton
, all Hot Springs natives, have been known to frequent Oaklawn Park in the past.
Other annual events in town include the free Hot Springs Jazz Festival in September, the free Hot Springs Blues Festival in September, the downtown Bathtub Races in the spring, the Big Barbecue Cook off in Spring and Fall, the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade every March 17, and the outdoor skating rink November through January.
Superlift Offroad Vehicle Park hosts the annual Ouachita Jeep Jamboree, an off-road adventure weekend that draws people and their 4x4's from a dozen states. All come to Hot Springs to get a taste of the Ouachita Mountain trails, wildlife, and the views of the changing leaves in Arkansas.
Educational institutes and conventions are also important events in the spa city. Perhaps the most popular of these events is the Hot Springs Technology Institute (HSTI), drawing over 1300 participants each June. Hot Springs is also home to the annual alternate reality
game Midnight Madness
, based on the movie from which it gets its name. Teams race throughout the city at night, solving clues based on difficult puzzle and physical challenges. Games last 12 hours or more, with the winning team designing next year's game.
chain, since renamed WEHCO Media.
Seven AM radio stations and Fifteen FM stations broadcast from the area.
In addition, most of the Little Rock radio stations provide at least secondary coverage of the city.
There is also a community website, http://www.hotsprings.org. Hot Springs is part of the Little Rock television market.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 33 square miles (85.5 km²), of which, 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.36%) is water.
of 2000, there were 35,750 people, 16,096 households, and 9,062 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,086.9 people per square mile (419.7/km²). There were 18,813 housing units at an average density of 572.0 per square mile (220.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.86% White
, 16.87% Black
or African American
, 0.55% Native American
, 0.79% Asian
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
, 1.02% from other races
, and 1.86% from two or more races. 3.80% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 16,096 households out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.7% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau
.
Of 16,096 households, 690 are unmarried partner households: 580 heterosexual, 78 same-sex male, and 32 same-sex female. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,040, and the median income for a family was $32,819. Males had a median income of $25,861 versus $20,155 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,961. About 13.7% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.7% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
. Major air transport is available through Little Rock National Airport, approximately 55 miles from Hot Springs.
Fountain Lake School District
Jessieville School District
Hot Springs School District
Lake Hamilton School District
Lakeside School District
(established in 1993) http://www.ci.hot-springs.ar.us/residents-sister-city.html
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County. According to 2008 Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
estimates, the population of the city was 39,467.
Hot Springs is traditionally best known for the natural spring water that gives it its name, flowing out of the ground at a temperature of 147 °F (63.9 °C) . Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs National Park
Established from Hot Springs Reservation, Hot Springs National Park is a United States National Park in central Arkansas adjacent to the city of Hot Springs. Hot Springs Reservation was initially created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1832, and the area was made a national...
is the oldest federal reserve in the USA, and the tourist trade brought by the famous springs make it a very successful spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
. Since Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs National Park
Established from Hot Springs Reservation, Hot Springs National Park is a United States National Park in central Arkansas adjacent to the city of Hot Springs. Hot Springs Reservation was initially created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1832, and the area was made a national...
was the oldest federal reserve, it was the first to receive its own US quarter
Quarter (United States coin)
A quarter dollar, commonly shortened to quarter, is a coin worth ¼ of a United States dollar, or 25 cents. The quarter has been produced since 1796. The choice of 25¢ as a denomination, as opposed to 20¢ which is more common in other parts of the world, originated with the practice of dividing...
in April 2010 as part of the America the Beautiful Quarters.
History and culture
Natural springs
The city takes its name from the natural thermal water that flows from 47 springs on the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain in the historic downtown district of the city. About a million gallons of 143-degree water flow from the springs each day. The rate of flow is not affected by fluctuations in the rainfall in the area. Studies by National Park Service scientists have determined through carbon dating that the water that reaches the surface in Hot Springs fell as rainfall in an as-yet undetermined watershed 4,000 years earlier. The water percolates very slowly down through the earth’s surface until it reaches superheated areas deep in the crust and then rushes rapidly to the surface to emerge from the 47 hot springs.A small channel of hot spring water known as Hot Springs Creek runs under ground from an area near Park Avenue to Bath House Row.
Discovery and settlement
Members of many Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes had been gathering in the valley for untold numbers of years to enjoy the healing properties of the thermal springs.
In 1673, Father Marquette and Jolliet
Louis Jolliet
Louis Jolliet , also known as Louis Joliet, was a French Canadian explorer known for his discoveries in North America...
explored the area and claimed it for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The Treaty of Paris 1763 ceded the land back to Spain; however, in 1800 control was returned to France until the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
of 1803.
In December 1804, Dr. George Hunter and William Dunbar
William Dunbar
William Dunbar was a Scottish poet. He was probably a native of East Lothian, as assumed from a satirical reference in the Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie , where, too, it is hinted that he was a member of the noble house of Dunbar....
made an expedition to the springs, finding a lone log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
and a few rudimentary shelters used by people visiting the springs for their healing properties. In 1807, a man named Prudhomme became the first settler of modern Hot Springs, and he was soon joined by John Perciful and Isaac Cates.
On August 24, 1818, the Quapaw
Quapaw
The Quapaw people are a tribe of Native Americans who historically resided on the west side of the Mississippi River in what is now the state of Arkansas.They are federally recognized as the Quapaw Tribe of Indians.-Government:...
Indians ceded the land around the hot springs to the United States in a treaty. After Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
became its own territory in 1819, the Arkansas Territorial Legislature requested in 1820 that the springs and adjoining mountains be set aside as a federal reservation. Twelve years later, in 1832, the Hot Springs Reservation was created by the US Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, granting federal protection of the thermal waters. The Reservation was renamed Hot Springs National Park in 1921.
Civil War
The outbreak of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
left Hot Springs with a declining bathing population. After the Confederate forces suffered defeat in the Battle of Pea Ridge
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge was a land battle of the American Civil War, fought on March 6–8, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas, near Garfield. In the battle, Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis defeated Confederate troops under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn. The outcome of the...
in March 1862, the Union troops advanced toward the Confederate city of Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. Confederate Governor Henry M. Rector moved his staff and state records to Hot Springs. Union forces did not attack Little Rock, and the government returned to the capital city on July 14, 1862.
Many residents of Hot Springs fled to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
or Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and remained there until the end of the war. In September 1863, Union forces occupied Little Rock. During this period, Hot Springs became the prey of guerrilla bands loosely associated with either Union or Confederate forces. They pillaged and burned the near-deserted town, leaving only a few buildings standing at the end of the Civil War.
Rebuilding
After the Civil War, an extensive rebuilding of bathhouses and hotels took place at Hot Springs. The year-round population soared to 1,200 inhabitants by 1870. By 1873 six bathhouses and 24 hotels and boardinghouses stood near the springs. In 1874, Joseph Reynolds announced his decision to construct a narrow gauge railroad from MalvernMalvern, Arkansas
Malvern is the county seat of Hot Spring County, Arkansas. The city had a population of 10,318 at the time of the 2010 census and is also called the "Brick Capital of the World" because of the three Acme Brick plants in the area...
to Hot Springs; completion in 1875 resulted in the growth of visitation to the springs. Samuel W. Fordyce and two other entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
s financed the construction of the first luxury hotel in the area, the first Arlington Hotel
Arlington Hotel (Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas)
The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa is a nearly 500 room resort in the Ouachita Mountains of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, home of Oaklawn Race Track and the Arkansas Derby. The Arlington's sister hotel was the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas....
which opened in 1875.
During the Reconstruction period, several conflicting land claims reached the U.S. Congress and resulted in an April 24, 1876 United States Supreme Court ruling that the land title of Hot Springs belonged to the federal government. They couldnt do anything about the federal government so they tried protesting and fight for rights. To deal with the situation, Congress formed the Hot Springs Commission to lay out streets in the town of Hot Springs, deal with land claims, define property lines, condemn buildings illegally on the permanent reservation (now the national park) and define a process for claimants to purchase land. The commission surveyed and set aside 264.93 acres (1.1 km²) encompassing the hot springs and Hot Springs Mountain to be a permanent government reservation. Another 1200 acres (4.9 km²) became the Hot Springs townsite, with 700 acres (2.8 km²) awarded to claimants. The townsite consisted of 196 blocks and 50 miles (80.5 km) of streets and alleys. The remaining portion of the original four sections of government land consisted of hills and mountains which were mostly unoccupied, and Congress acted on the commission's recommendation in June 1880 by adding those lands to the permanent reservation.
The early 1900s
During the early 20th century, Hot Springs was known for baseball training camps. Many of the Major League clubs brought their teams to Hot Springs to get the players in shape for the coming season. Teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox made Hot Springs their home base. Baseball great Babe Ruth could be seen walking the streets, visiting the bath spas, and gambling at the nearby horse track.1913 fire
On September 6, 1913, a fire broke out on Church Street a few blocks southeast of Bathhouse Row, near the Army and Navy Hospital. The fire burned southeast, away from the hospital, until the wind reversed an hour later. Racing toward the business section, it destroyed the Ozark Sanitarium, and the high school on its way across Malvern Avenue. Along the way it consumed the Public Utilities plant, which destroyed the firefighter's water supply. A wide front then was blown toward Ouachita Avenue which destroyed the Garland County Court House. The Hot Springs Fire Department fought alongside the Little Rock Fire Department, which had rushed over on a special train. Despite their efforts numerous homes, at least a hundred businesses, four hotels, the Iron Mountain RailroadSt. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
The St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway was a historic railroad that operated in Missouri, and Arkansas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
facilities, and the Crystal Theater were destroyed. A rainstorm finally quenched the blaze at Hazel Street. Although Central Avenue was ultimately protected (primarily by desperate use of dynamite), much of the southern part of the city was destroyed. Damage was estimated at $10,000,000 across 60 blocks.
Gangsters and illegal gambling
Hot Springs Gunfight
The Hot Springs Gunfight, or Hot Springs Shootout , was a gunbattle between two separate law enforcement agencies that occurred in Hot Springs, Arkansas during the Old West era in the United States. Despite being little known, it resulted in more deaths than the famed Gunfight at the O.K...
. Of the seven Hot Springs police officers that have been killed while in service of the department, three died during that gunfight, killed by deputies of the Garland County Sheriff's Office. One part-time deputy sheriff was killed also, by the Hot Springs officers.
Along with its Bathhouse Row, one of downtown Hot Springs' most noted landmarks is the Arlington Hotel
Arlington Hotel (Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas)
The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa is a nearly 500 room resort in the Ouachita Mountains of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, home of Oaklawn Race Track and the Arkansas Derby. The Arlington's sister hotel was the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas....
, a favored retreat for Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
.
Hot Springs eventually became a national gambling mecca, led by Owney Madden
Owney Madden
Owney "The Killer" Madden was a leading underworld figure in Manhattan, most notable for his involvement in organized crime during Prohibition. He also ran the famous Cotton Club and was a leading boxing promoter in the 1930s.-Early life:Owen Vincent Madden was born at 25 Somerset Street, in...
and his Hotel Arkansas casino. The period 1927-1947 was its wagering pinnacle, with no fewer than ten major casinos and numerous smaller houses running wide open, the largest such operation in the United States at the time. Hotels advertised the availability of prostitutes and off-track booking was available for virtually any horse race in North America.
Local law enforcement was controlled by a political machine
Political machine
A political machine is a political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses , who receive rewards for their efforts...
run by long-serving mayor, Leo P. McLaughlin. The McLaughlin organization purchased hundreds of poll tax receipts, many in the names of deceased or fictitious persons, which would sometimes be voted in different precincts. A former sheriff, who attempted to have the state's anti-gambling laws enforced and to secure honest elections, was murdered in 1937. No one was ever charged with his killing. Machine domination of city and county government was abruptly ended in 1946 with the election of a "Government Improvement" slate of returning World War II veterans led by Marine Lt. Col. Sid McMath
Sid McMath
Sidney Sanders McMath was a decorated U.S. Marine, attorney and the 34th Governor of Arkansas who, in defiance of his state's political establishment, championed rapid rural electrification, massive highway and school construction, the building of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences,...
, who was elected prosecuting attorney. A 1947 grand jury indicted several owners and promoters, as well as McLaughlin, for public servant bribery. Although the former mayor and most of the others were acquitted, the machine's power was broken and gambling came to a halt as McMath led a statewide "GI Revolt" into the governor's office in 1948. Illegal casino gambling resumed, however, with the election of Orval Faubus
Orval Faubus
Orval Eugene Faubus was the 36th Governor of Arkansas, serving from 1955 to 1967. He is best known for his 1957 stand against the desegregation of Little Rock public schools during the Little Rock Crisis, in which he defied a unanimous decision of the United States Supreme Court by ordering the...
as governor in 1954. Buoyed into 12 years in office by his popular defiance of federal court desegregation orders, Faubus turned a blind eye to gambling in Hot Springs.
Gambling was finally closed down permanently in 1967 by two Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
officeholders, Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller was a politician and philanthropist who served as the first Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was a third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.-Early life:...
and Circuit Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Henry M. Britt
Henry M. Britt
Henry Middleton Britt, III , was a Hot Springs lawyer who was a pioneer in the revitalization of the Republican Party in the heavily Democratic state of Arkansas, primarily during the 1960s and 1970s. He was the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1960, having been decisively defeated by Orval...
. Rockefeller sent in a company of state troopers to shutter the casinos and burn their gaming equipment. Oaklawn Park, a thoroughbred horse racing track south of downtown, is the only remaining gambling establishment, and one of two legal gambling establishments in the state of Arkansas. The other is the Southland Greyhound Park dog track located in West Memphis, AR.
World War II
The military took over the enormous Eastman Hotel across the street from the Army and Navy Hospital in 1942 because the hospital was not nearly large enough to hold the sick and wounded coming in. In 1944, the Army began redeploying returning overseas soldiers; officials inspected hotels in 20 cities before selecting Hot Springs as a redistribution center for returning soldiers. In August 1944 the Army took over most of the hotels in Hot Springs. The soldiers from the west-central states received a 21-day furlough before reporting to the redistribution station. They spent 14 days updating their military records and obtaining physical and dental treatment. The soldiers had time to enjoy the baths at a reduced rate and other recreational activities. The redistribution center closed down in December 1945 after processing more than 32,000 members of the military. In 1946, after the war, the Eastman was demolished when the federal government no longer needed it.Notable people
Hot Springs is also noted as the boyhood home of former U.S. PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. Actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
s Alan Ladd
Alan Ladd
-Early life:Ladd was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was the only child of Ina Raleigh Ladd and Alan Ladd, Sr. He was of English ancestry. His father died when he was four, and his mother relocated to Oklahoma City where she married Jim Beavers, a housepainter...
and Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
were born in Hot Springs and nearby Malvern
Malvern, Arkansas
Malvern is the county seat of Hot Spring County, Arkansas. The city had a population of 10,318 at the time of the 2010 census and is also called the "Brick Capital of the World" because of the three Acme Brick plants in the area...
, respectively.
Fulham Davies
Fulham Davies
Fulham Fairchild Davies, known as Ki Davies , was an Arkansas businessman who in 1923 opened the Merrill Lynch office in Little Rock...
, stockbroker in Hot Springs, later opened the Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
office in Little Rock and kept it intact during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Lynn A. Davis
Lynn A. Davis
Lynn Arthur Davis is a retired attorney in Little Rock, Arkansas, who lectures and writes nonfiction crime thrillers based on his past law enforcement experiences. He is a former agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, short-term director of the Arkansas State Police, and U.S. marshal for...
, the temporary head of the Arkansas state police during the Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller was a politician and philanthropist who served as the first Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was a third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.-Early life:...
administration, cleared Hot Springs of illegal gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
in 1967.
Metropolitan diva Marjorie Lawrence
Marjorie Lawrence
Marjorie Florence Lawrence CBE was an Australian soprano, particularly noted as an interpreter of Richard Wagner's operas. She was the first soprano to perform the immolation scene in Götterdämmerung by riding her horse into the flames as Wagner had intended. She was afflicted by polio from 1941...
was a resident for many years. Decorated World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
combat aviators Earl T. Ricks and I.G. Brown were Hot Springs natives who served as reform mayor and sheriff, respectively (1947–1949), before resuming their Air Force careers. The town was a haven for gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
s in the 1930s, including longtime resident Owney Madden
Owney Madden
Owney "The Killer" Madden was a leading underworld figure in Manhattan, most notable for his involvement in organized crime during Prohibition. He also ran the famous Cotton Club and was a leading boxing promoter in the 1930s.-Early life:Owen Vincent Madden was born at 25 Somerset Street, in...
and Lucky Luciano
Lucky Luciano
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission...
.
Hot Springs was the home of prominent Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
Q. Byrum Hurst
Q. Byrum Hurst
Quincy Byrum Hurst, Sr. , was a Hot Springs attorney and a Democratic member of the Arkansas State Senate from 1950 to 1972. He vacated his Senate seat to run unsuccessfully against Governor Dale L. Bumpers, who won the second of his two gubernatorial terms in 1972...
, a member of the Arkansas State Senate from 1950–1972 and the Garland County administrative judge from 1947-1950.
Concert pianist, composer, and Broadway Mary Imogene Carpenter Feldman was born in Hot Springs but moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
at the age of 14, after having received a scholarship to the Chicago Conservatory of Music. She later married a successful Hollywood producer.
The "Countess von Leon", the widow of Bernhard Müller
Bernhard Müller
Bernhard Müller, known as Count de Leon , was a German Christian mystic and alchemist of uncertain origins....
, a leader of a small 19th century Utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n group, spent her last years in Hot Springs, where she died in 1881. Her work is commemorated at the Germantown Colony and Museum
Germantown Colony and Museum
Germantown Colony and Museum is an historical preservation project north of Minden in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, USA. It was among three sites in Louisiana founded by former members of the Utopian Movement called the Harmony Society in the early 19th century...
north of Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, where she operated a religious commune
Commune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
from 1835-1871.
Reginald Grigsby, a graduate of Hot Springs High in 1991, serves on the AAU Executive Committee of AAU Girls Basketball. Also is the first African American to serve as the Southwestern AAU Girls Basketball District Chairman.
Clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
man A. T. Powers
A. T. Powers
Austin Toliver Powers, known as A. T. Powers , was a leading figure from the 1930s to the 1970s in the theologically conservative American Baptist Association, based in Texarkana, Texas...
lived in Hot Springs from 1943–1948, when he was the pastor of the Oaklawn Missionary Baptist Church. He relocated to Texarkana
Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
to become director of missions.
NFL Hall of Famer Running Back Bobby Mitchell
Bobby Mitchell
Robert Cornelius Mitchell is a former American football halfback and flanker in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins. Mitchell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.-Early life:Mitchell was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas and attended...
was born in Hot Springs on June 6, 1935.
Owney "The Killer" Madden (December 18, 1891 – April 24, 1965)- Irish Mobster
Attractions
Bathhouse RowBathhouse Row
Bathhouse Row is a collection of bathhouses, associated buildings, and gardens located at Hot Springs National Park in the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas...
, consisting of eight turn-of-the century historic buildings, lies within Hot Springs National Park and is managed by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, Department of the Interior. Two of the bathhouses remain in operation: The Buckstaff and the Quapaw, which was reopened in 2008. Another bathhouse, the Fordyce, has been converted into a museum to give tourists a glimpse into the fascinating past of the city. The federally-protected, natural thermal waters are also used for thermal bathing at several downtown hotels and a hospital. The water is available free for drinking at several fountains in the downtown area. It is also available free throughout the city in the homes of the residents.
Magic Springs and Crystal Falls
Magic Springs and Crystal Falls is an amusement park and water park located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 50 miles from Little Rock. A single price admission includes all day use of the rides and attractions in both parks. The park is open weekends from April through October and daily late-May...
theme parks; a fine arts community that has earned the city the No. 4 position among “America’s Top 100 Small Arts Towns”; the Hot Springs Music Festival
Hot Springs Music Festival
The Hot Springs Music Festival is a not-for-profit educational music festival held in Hot Springs, Arkansas. During the first two weeks of June, "pre-professional" musicians join professional mentor musicians in performance of concert music. There are approximately 4 orchestral concerts and...
; and the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival began as a cooperative effort between the Southern Film Alliance and a small group of Hot Springs volunteers in 1992. Academy Award nominated films were shown free of charge to the public in the Historic District of Hot Springs...
, held each October at the historic Malco Theater, one of the top documentary festivals in the world, attracting numerous Academy Award-winning films and producers.
Oaklawn Park has been in operation since 1904. (An additional horse racing park was once within the city limits, but was eventually closed). The meet, which is annually held from January through mid-April each year, is sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Season" and features the "Racing Festival of the South" during the last week of the racing season each April. Many Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
contenders compete in the Arkansas Derby, which is the big finale each year of the meet. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, his half-brother Roger
Roger Clinton, Jr.
Roger Cassidy Clinton is an American actor and musician and the half-brother of former President Bill Clinton.Roger Clinton was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas , the son of Virginia Clinton Kelley and Roger M...
, and Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
, all Hot Springs natives, have been known to frequent Oaklawn Park in the past.
Other annual events in town include the free Hot Springs Jazz Festival in September, the free Hot Springs Blues Festival in September, the downtown Bathtub Races in the spring, the Big Barbecue Cook off in Spring and Fall, the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade every March 17, and the outdoor skating rink November through January.
Superlift Offroad Vehicle Park hosts the annual Ouachita Jeep Jamboree, an off-road adventure weekend that draws people and their 4x4's from a dozen states. All come to Hot Springs to get a taste of the Ouachita Mountain trails, wildlife, and the views of the changing leaves in Arkansas.
Educational institutes and conventions are also important events in the spa city. Perhaps the most popular of these events is the Hot Springs Technology Institute (HSTI), drawing over 1300 participants each June. Hot Springs is also home to the annual alternate reality
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
game Midnight Madness
The Game (treasure hunt)
The Game is a non-stop 24–48 hour treasure hunt, puzzlehunt or road rally that has run in the San Francisco Bay and Seattle areas since 1973. Its teams use vans rigged with power and Internet access and drive hundreds of miles from puzzle site to puzzle site, overcoming often outrageous physical...
, based on the movie from which it gets its name. Teams race throughout the city at night, solving clues based on difficult puzzle and physical challenges. Games last 12 hours or more, with the winning team designing next year's game.
Media
The Hot Springs newspaper is the Sentinel-Record, originally part of the Clyde E. PalmerClyde E. Palmer
Clyde Eber Palmer was the owner of a chain of newspapers and radio stations and a television outlet covering southwestern Arkansas and part of northeastern Texas during the early to middle 20th century. He operated his media conglomerate from Texarkana, Texas.- Early years :Palmer was born to Mr....
chain, since renamed WEHCO Media.
Seven AM radio stations and Fifteen FM stations broadcast from the area.
In addition, most of the Little Rock radio stations provide at least secondary coverage of the city.
There is also a community website, http://www.hotsprings.org. Hot Springs is part of the Little Rock television market.
Geography
Hot Springs is located at 34.497138°N 93.055393°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 33 square miles (85.5 km²), of which, 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.36%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 35,750 people, 16,096 households, and 9,062 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,086.9 people per square mile (419.7/km²). There were 18,813 housing units at an average density of 572.0 per square mile (220.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.86% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 16.87% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.55% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.79% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.02% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.86% from two or more races. 3.80% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 16,096 households out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.7% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
.
Of 16,096 households, 690 are unmarried partner households: 580 heterosexual, 78 same-sex male, and 32 same-sex female. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,040, and the median income for a family was $32,819. Males had a median income of $25,861 versus $20,155 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,961. About 13.7% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.7% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
Air
Hot Springs is served by Hot Springs Memorial Field AirportHot Springs Memorial Field Airport
Memorial Field Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of the City of Hot Springs, in Garland County, Arkansas, United States. It also serves nearby Hot Springs National Park. The airport is currently used for general...
. Major air transport is available through Little Rock National Airport, approximately 55 miles from Hot Springs.
Advanced residential statewide high school
- Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the ArtsArkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the ArtsThe Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts is a two-year, public residential high school located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is a part of the University of Arkansas administrative system and a member of the NCSSSMST...
Private schools
- Hot Springs Christian School, K-12 http://hscs.us/
- St. John Elementary School, K-8
- St. Luke's Day School, PK-2
- Lighthouse Christian School, K-12
- Gospel Light Baptist School, PK-12
- Hot Springs SDA School, PK-9
Public schools
Cutter-Morning Star School District- Cutter-Morning Star Elementary School, PreK-6
- Cutter-Morning Star High School, 7-12
Fountain Lake School District
- Fountain Lake Elementary School, PreK-4
- Fountain Lake Middle School, 5-8
- Fountain Lake High School, 9-12
Jessieville School District
- Jessieville Elementary School, PreK-5
- Jessieville Middle School, 6-8
- Jessieville High School, 9-12
Hot Springs School District
- Langston Magnet School, PreK-4
- Gardner Magnet School, K-4
- Oaklawn Magnet School, K-4
- Park Magnet School, K-4
- Hot Springs Intermediate School, 5-6
- Hot Springs Middle School, 7-8
- Hot Springs High SchoolHot Springs High School (Arkansas)Hot Springs High School is a public secondary school located in Hot Springs, Arkansas.- Academics :Hot Springs High School is part of Hot Springs School District , and is located in central Hot Springs, Arkansas and enrolls approximately eight-hundred students in grades nine through twelve...
, 9-12
Lake Hamilton School District
- Lake Hamilton Primary School, K-1
- Lake Hamilton Elementary School, 2-3
- Lake Hamilton Intermediate School, 4-5
- Lake Hamilton Middle School, 6-7
- Lake Hamilton Junior High, 8-9
- Lake Hamilton High SchoolLake Hamilton High SchoolLake Hamilton Senior High School is a secondary school for grades 10 through 12 located in Pearcy, Arkansas .-Academics:...
, 10-12
Lakeside School District
- Lakeside Primary School, K-1
- Lakeside Intermediate School, 2-4
- Lakeside Middle School, 5-7
- Lakeside Junior High School, 8-9
- Lakeside High School, 10-12
Higher education
- National Park Community College is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) from central Hot Springs.
Other education
- Champion Baptist College, an unaccredited four-year Christian vocational college associated with Gospel Light Baptist Church
Sister cities
Hanamaki, JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(established in 1993) http://www.ci.hot-springs.ar.us/residents-sister-city.html
Points of interest
- Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting ZooArkansas Alligator Farm and Petting ZooThe Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo is a privately owned zoo located on Whittington Avenue in Hot Springs, Arkansas.The farm raises alligators and has done so since it was founded in 1902. The farm includes a small museum with a collection of mounted alligators, a souvenir shop and a snack...
- Garvan Woodland GardensGarvan Woodland GardensGarvan Woodland Gardens is a 210-acre botanical garden located at 550 Arkridge Road approximately 6 miles from Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA...
- Hot Springs Mountain TowerHot Springs Mountain TowerHot Springs Mountain Tower is a 65.8 metre high observation tower built of lattice steel on Hot Springs Mountain at Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA. Construction began in 1982, and the structure was officially opened to the public on June 3, 1983....
- Hot Springs National ParkHot Springs National ParkEstablished from Hot Springs Reservation, Hot Springs National Park is a United States National Park in central Arkansas adjacent to the city of Hot Springs. Hot Springs Reservation was initially created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1832, and the area was made a national...
- Magic Springs and Crystal FallsMagic Springs and Crystal FallsMagic Springs and Crystal Falls is an amusement park and water park located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 50 miles from Little Rock. A single price admission includes all day use of the rides and attractions in both parks. The park is open weekends from April through October and daily late-May...
- Mid-America Science MuseumMid-America Science MuseumMid-America Science Museum is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It has many permanent exhibits that have been there since the early 1980s, such as a "ball machine" that hits billiard balls all around an elaborate track, and traveling exhibits. It also features a laser light and music show...
- Oaklawn ParkOaklawn ParkOaklawn Park is an American thoroughbred racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to The Racing Festival of the South.In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Ten, Oaklawn was ranked...
- Mount IdaMount Ida, ArkansasMount Ida is a city in Montgomery County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 981 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is known as the quartz crystal capital of the U.S...
crystal mines
External links
- City of Hot Springs • City of Hot Springs Official Website
- Discussion of political matters in City of Hot Springs • Local Grassroots watchdog group discussion
- Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce • The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce
- History of Hot Springs' Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
- Hot Springs Convention and Visitor's Bureau • Hot Springs National Park tourism & vacation information
- National Park Service, Hot Springs National Park • U.S. National Park ServiceNational Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
website - America the Beautiful Quarters Official Website