Keough Hot Springs
Encyclopedia
Keough Hot Springs is located in the Owens Valley
of California
, about seven miles south of the city of Bishop
on US Highway 395.
stage company. Keough's resort was very popular in the 1920s and 30's and was designed to be a complete health resort. The resort reportedly continued to be a very popular social gathering site for residents of the nearby communities up until the World War II
era.
In 1926 the City of Los Angeles
purchased the property as a part of its famous water-rights land grab in the Owens Valley. The City's Water and Power Department allowed the resort to remain open under its direction, but absentee management led to a decline in the resort's viability. Leases were offered to various operators, but with only a five-year term. The pool was closed to the public in 1934, but was reopened a few years later by another operator. A new lessee in 1955 performed renovations and the pool once again regained its vitality as a public swimming and recreation area until insurance considerations dictated that it become a membership-only club in 1985.
. This area, known as the "hot ditch," is utilized as a recreational area where social nudity is practiced List of social nudity places in North America.
Owens Valley
Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, about seven miles south of the city of Bishop
Bishop, California
Bishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...
on US Highway 395.
History
The area around this hot springs was originally inhabited by the local native Paiutes, who considered the waters sacred. Today there is a very small community of homes, and a commercial resort featuring a large swimming pool which was built and first opened in August 1918 by Philip P. Keough, a former local superintendent of the Wells FargoWells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
stage company. Keough's resort was very popular in the 1920s and 30's and was designed to be a complete health resort. The resort reportedly continued to be a very popular social gathering site for residents of the nearby communities up until the 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...
era.
In 1926 the City of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
purchased the property as a part of its famous water-rights land grab in the Owens Valley. The City's Water and Power Department allowed the resort to remain open under its direction, but absentee management led to a decline in the resort's viability. Leases were offered to various operators, but with only a five-year term. The pool was closed to the public in 1934, but was reopened a few years later by another operator. A new lessee in 1955 performed renovations and the pool once again regained its vitality as a public swimming and recreation area until insurance considerations dictated that it become a membership-only club in 1985.
Today
In 1998 the Brown Family of Bishop purchased the resort and began major renovation work to once again revitalize the facilities to be opened to the public. A snack bar, picnic area, boutique, massage rooms, and fitness facility complement the pool and therapeutic tubs.Keough Hot Ditch
Downstream from the pool, and outside of the small community of Keough's, the hot water cascades down a series of small primitive soaking/wading pools and bathing locations, as the water makes its way toward the Los Angeles AqueductLos Angeles Aqueduct
The Los Angeles Aqueduct system comprising the Los Angeles Aqueduct and the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct, is a water conveyance system operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power...
. This area, known as the "hot ditch," is utilized as a recreational area where social nudity is practiced List of social nudity places in North America.
External links
- http://hotspringsoak.com/keough-hot-springs.html Keough hot ditch videos, pictures, and tips
- http://keoughshotsprings.com/history.html
- http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/stories3/keough_hot_springs.pdf
- http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/scenic_byways/ghosts.html