In Hot Springs, soak up town’s unique gambling history along with your steaming bath

I never expected to find a former Louisiana governor in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but then I never thought of the resort town as being a hot bed of gambling activity, either.

Perhaps those two go together after all.

Most people think of the quaint mountain town, where steaming water flows from the depths of the earth infused with minerals, as the place to soak your cares away. For centuries, Caddo and Quapaw Native Americans frequented the hot springs, then later European Americans in the 1800s to early 1900s, believing that the mineral waters would cure ailments.

Today, visitors may “take the waters” at bathhouses along Bathhouse Row, part of Hot Springs National Park, one of the country’s oldest parks and the only one in the system that includes a downtown. Quapaw Baths & Spa, which dates to the turn of the 20th century and is one of the original bathhouses on the Row, pumps spring water into several thermal pools that are open to the public. The historic Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, anchoring the main street of downtown, offers mineral hydrotherapy as well, incorporating many of the methods used decades before.

But for those who want to learn about the town’s illustrious history, check out The Gangsters Museum of America where tour guides lead visitors through a series of rooms highlighting everything from the town’s famous gambling clubs to the early baseball pioneers who trained here.

Roll of the dice

For years, Hot Springs ran gambling organizations with notorious leaders such as Owney Maddon, with lawmakers and police supporting the practice. Bugsy Siegel, Bugs Moran and Lucky Luciano were frequent visitors. The infamous Alphonse “Big Al” Capone stayed at The Arlington Hotel in Room 442 because it overlooked the Southern Club, where he played poker. Moonshine production during Prohibition ran rampant.

During the 1880s to the 1930s, baseball athletes used the town for spring training. More than 90 Baseball Hall of Famers came through Hot Springs, including Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Dizzy Dean and Yogi Berra. Negro League players used the town as well, athletes like Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige. The players enjoyed their time in Hot Springs, utilizing the nightclubs, casinos, golf courses and bathhouses. Ruth was known to hit a baseball 500 feet into the neighboring Gator Farm.

As for that former Louisiana governor, there’s a photo of Huey P. Long receiving a key to the city hanging on a museum wall. Clyde Barrow’s (of Bonnie and Clyde fame) Bienville Parish birth certificate is also on display.

Where to stay

Today, the gambling clubs and illegal gaming have disappeared, but Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort offers horse racing. A casino was added there in 2019 and in addition to a new high-end resort with 198 rooms and luxury spa after a $100 million expansion. The entire facility pays homage to the thoroughbred horse racing traditions of Hot Springs, which date back to 1904, said Wayne Smith, general manager. Live racing occurs from early December to the Arkansas Derby and into early May.

Hot Springs offers numerous hotel accommodations, from the historic Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa now undergoing a major renovation (be sure to enjoy a cocktail in the decorated lobby) to Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa, a 30-minute drive outside town where cabins, guest rooms and rental houseboats surround Lake Ouachita. Mountain Harbor features hiking and biking trails, the Turtle Cove spa, restaurants and special events all summer long.

What to see

Peruse the Hot Springs National Park bathhouses along Central Avenue, especially Fordyce Bathhouse which functions as the park’s visitor center. Fordyce is the largest bathhouse on the Row and offers exhibits on the city’s thermal bathing industry.

Central Avenue is the heart of downtown Hot Springs, with boutiques, restaurants and art galleries within historic buildings dating back to the turn of the 20th century. One bar and restaurant with a fascinating history is the circa 1905 Ohio Club, which saw the likes of Ruth and actor-musician Al Jolson cross its threshold.

For some peace and quiet and a heavy dose of beauty, visit Garvan Woodland Gardens a short drive from town. The expansive gardens facing Lake Hamilton are the creation of self-taught gardener Verna Cook Garvan, who left the property to the University of Arkansas’ Department of Landscape Architecture. Spring and fall are the best times to visit for vibrant color, but the gardens have blooms all year long.

For more information about Hot Springs, visit https://www.hotsprings.org/.