New hope for the Warm Springs Pools

On June 12 it was announced that Dever-based hedge fund KSL sold The Homestead to Omni Hotels and Resorts, a privately owned company headquartered in Irving, Texas. Unlike the “venture capital” approach of KSL, Omni has demonstrated an interest in long-term ownership of hotel and resort properties.This is a hopeful turn of events since Omni owns Bedford Springs an historic spa resort property similar to The Homestead. 

On behalf of Preservation Bath, Phil Deemer and Lee Elliott,  President and Vice President, sent a letter to Michael Deitemeyer, President of Omni Hotels and Resorts, in which they highlighted the endangered Bath Houses at the Warm Springs Pools and offered to work with him to find the best way to save and properly restore the buildings.

I know this group will continue to work on behalf of the preservation of these historic structures.

Preservation of the Warm Springs Pools

I had the good fortune to be in Hot Springs recently and to have a conversation with some of Virginia's most resolute preservationists who are committed to the saving the oldest spa structures in the US from imminent decay.

I had emailed Phil Deemer, president of the Friends of the Pool and was pleased to meet a trio of quietly passionate individuals who have a plan to save these historic buildings. Joining the conversation were Lee Elliott, vice president and Janice McWilliams, treasurer.

Men's Bathhouse

Sadly, the Bath Houses are now listed among Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites. This designation is intended in part “to encourage citizens and organizations to continue to advocate” for a site’s protection and preservation. The Bath Houses at the Warm Springs Pools have been nominated for selection as one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “11 Most Endangered Historic Places." The announcement of this year's list will occur in June. Yes, it's an alarming distinction, but these old wooden structures, exposed to constant moisture and no long receiving maintenance, are urgently in need of restoration.

Some background: According the their website, the Men’s Bath House was built in 1761 and the Women’s Bath House followed in 1836. The Pools, titled as “Warm Springs Bathhouses,” are listed on both the Virginia Landmarks Register (1968) and The National Register of Historic Places (1969). This is the Statement of Significance in the 1969 nomination:

The Warm Springs traditionally served as the starting point for the annual tours of the Virginia springs, a social custom observed by the aristocrats from all over the South escaping the intense summer heat of the lowlands to relax at the mountain pools and enjoy the company of their peers. While the springs first became known for their curative powers and continued to be visited by invalids searching for health, the real popularity of the springs was founded upon their serving as fashionable resorts.

The springs were apparently popular during the last third of the eighteenth century when the men’s bath house was built, and they flourished during the first half of the nineteenth century as the tide of settlement pushed the Indians further west.

Both of the bath houses are in an excellent state of repair and have undergone very little alteration. Still used for their original purpose and maintained by the Homestead Hotel, a world famous resort, the Warm Springs Bath Houses are “excellent examples of the simplicity in public accommodations” in early Virginia and testify to a bygone era of our social history.

The spectacular interior of the ladies bathhouse

Sadly, the structures are no longer in an excellent state of repair. In 1993 Club Corp purchased the Homestead, including the Warm Spring Pools, which they renamed The Jefferson Pools for marketing purposes. In 2006 KSL Resorts, a Colorado venture capital firm, bought The Homestead. KSL Resorts has changed the business model of The Homestead to that of a family resort, and the pools are no longer a priority. KSL is agreeable to allowing the Friends of the Pools take ownership and to establish a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status to manage the restoration and ongoing operation of the pools. KSL is likely positioning to sell The Homestead, so the restoration and the ownership of this property is an agreeable concept, and even more urgent.

The application for the 501(c)(3) is moving slowly through the IRS. The Tax Exempt department's concern is that the Friends of the Pools reach an agreement with The Homestead and KSL Capital that complies with the proper operation of a tax exempt organization. This delicate process is in the capable hands of a committee of citizens of Bath County, each uniquely qualified as members of team of patient, focused stewards in the name of preservation.

Women's bathhouse undergoing assessment

Lee Elliott, committee treasurer, lives on a nearby farm with her husband Bill, who is a hydrologist. Janice McWilliams is the former owner of The Gristmill and knows Bath Country well. A Pennsylvania native, Phil Deemer, president, has a career in finance and understands the gentle art of negotiation. Jim Fetcher is the secretary and the website manager, as well as a lawyer. They have had the benefit of passionate and talented  advisory, including that of Sandra Hirth, their pro bono attorney of Kaufman & Canoles. As with any critical preservation project there are many angels to step forward to assist.

"The Pools are particularly interesting because they continue to operate as they have for more than 200 years," said Deemer.  "The restoration of the Bath Houses is, therefore, not to create a museum for visitors (e.g. Monticello and Mount Vernon).  And, it is not a project to take a historic building and adapt it for a new purpose (e.g., the work done by the Homestead Preserve to "rehabilitate" the Old Dairy complex in Warm Springs).  Instead, the restoration of the Bath Houses is intended to repair and maintain the structures for continued use, following established guidelines to ensure their historical design and construction materials."

 The Friends of the Pools are poised for action. There is no longer any maintenance of these delicate

Victorian cottage now being used for reception and gift shop

structures - no whitewashing, repairs or scrubbing down of mold. In a recent structural examination, a wood chisel went into a structural column "like it was angel food cake," said Deemer. These Virginians are confident that the Bath Houses can be repaired and restored according to the highest standards of historical authenticity.  With guidance and encouragement from Preservation Virginia, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and many others, they have learned a lot about how to approach a restoration project.

Deemer suggests the book Keeping Time: The History and Theory of Preservation in America.  Written by Dr. William J Murtagh, this book explains the many activities that fall within the broad heading of "preservation" and provides a fascinating narrative about how these many efforts have evolved.  The Friends of the Pools are honored to have Dr. Murtagh as a member of the Board of Advisors and, by happy coincidence, in 1969 while serving as Keeper of the National Register, it was Dr. Murtagh who approved the placement of the "Warm Springs Bath Houses" on the National Register of Historic Places.  Keeping Time is their primer on preservation.

Friends of the Pools continues to be in active and productive conversations with The Homestead's Peter Faraone and members of the KSL management team. They know what is needed and are focused with quiet resolve to accomplish their mission.

Phil Deemer has asked for help in spreading the word. If you know people who treasure the Pools and the centuries of history these Bath Houses represent, urge them to visit the website and to “sign on” to be included in future updates.  You may even get a tasteful Pools decal for your car!

African Terror Dream

I had a terrible dream last night and Joe is quite bored with listening to the rambling remnants of my unconscious, so I'll share with here. It's a mashup of my trip to Sudan, a recent New Yorker Philip Guerivitch feature on Rwanda and a discussion about the Amazon we had last night with the Willis family:

I was in Africa with a group of kawaja who were staying in a resort/lodge which was quite western in its construction and materials. Our program was structured like school. We met with a leader (also kawaja/muzunga but somehow more officially a part of the community) in a lecture hall space daily. A lobby/lounge and communal kitchen were at the other end of the recently completed lodge-style wooden building. There was minimal engagement with the locals, except for when we ranged about during our free time, exploring the nearby fields and the wild, rushing and muddy river flowing behind the lodge.

Another co-leader was involved with us as well, but he was African, although very much a member of our group. Knowledgeable and quite independent, he confidently discovered and used special parts of the lodge for storing his material and was intrepid about exploring.

Although the facility was built in a style familiar to Americans, it was still very much African with a distinct absence of any Western amenities. Also, the building was built cheaply and although it was recently constructed, things were beginning to break and not be repaired.

Much worse however, our group was slowing disappearing. Team members who were either outspoken or otherwise distinctive, were disappearing or being killed. We had discovered some hacked up bodies in bedrooms and lounge areas, never knowing who would be next. The team, although terrified, was complicit in a behavior which ignored these discoveries and concealed anxiety and fear. The remaining team tried to find projects to demonstrate our value, by trying to fix broken elements of the lodge. We also were collecting money each day (?) and had quite a stash. We quietly schemed at how to escape before the end of our visit but were concerned about leaving our leader and his colleague behind, potentially to suffer for our fleeing the lodge.

Outside, contractors were building yet another bank of rooms at the lodge. Like mercenaries of some sort, they seemed to be unassociated with the natives but also completely unengaged with our team as well, barely speaking as they went about their work. I went to the river and floated alone downstream, using some large pieces of canvas and bark as a floatation device. The river was fast-moving and muddy. Chillingly, the pieces of canvas were handmade missing person pleas which were floated downriver in the hope of communicating with neighboring communities. Apparently the murders and disappearances were not limited to our group. As I floated down, I blinked open my eyes and was shocked that the mud had coated my eyes, making me temporarily blind. I stumbled to shore and made my way back.

Upon my return to the lodge, I discovered that our leader and his colleague had disappeared. We didn't know where they were and hoped they were in a meeting of some kind. We were filled with anxiety and busied ourselves, trying to find ways to be helpful to prove our value and save our lives.

The end. A never-to-be completed cliff hanger!

Not your average bathroom art

This was in 21C, an amazing art hotel in Louisville, Kentucky founded by Laura Lee Brown and her husband Steve Wilson. The video screens are set into the mirror over the trough sink. These are all the eyes of blind people. By Sein Bidic.

My touchstone, the Jefferson Pools

I drove to Louisville and back this past week to see my dear mama. The trip out on I-64 was through blinding snow and I had a great page-turner of a book on CD. Coming home was more monotonous and I was inspired to visit Warm Springs and take the waters at the Jefferson Pools.

The Ladies' Pool

I've been there many times for the immersion in the carbonated, sulfurous water, the history and the serenity. There are two bath houses, one for gentlemen and one for ladies. Naturally the men's house was built first and yes, Thomas Jefferson took those waters. It was quite the destination for city folks who would travel to Warm Springs annually as a part of the social circuit. Now it's more of a quaint oddity, but well-managed by The Homestead, who now owns the properties. Of course, the price of admission has increased from $5 to $17, but it's still worth it. You get a nice towel from the lady who has tended the pools for decades.

Occulus, with many gaps in old roof

Interior

The buildings haven't been modified in a long time - not even painted. Each of the two round frame buildings has dressing rooms on the internal perimeter of its pool. Large river stones cover the bottom and the only nod to the present are the bright foam noodles which keep the users afloat. The buildings have lots of gaps and holes with a large occulus in the top, open to the sky. Floating in the 98 degree water, gazing at the timeless structure and through the roof with blue sky and occasional passing hawks grounds me in Virginia with a rootedness that no spa can match. Early 19th century immersion therapy.

There's no heat of course, so it's quite chilly to be out of the water. During the winter months, The Homestead only operates one pool and it's co-ed. Yesterday, I floated in the gentlemen's pool for the first time. It was also the first time I wore clothes. Options are open for either one's own bathing suit, one's birthday suit or a timeless, handmade romper sewn for the more modest, one-size-fits-all visitor. Co-ed bathing removes the most fundamental option and also, apparently, the encouragement to be quiet. It was a bit like a cocktail party atmosphere, but with my ears below the water the sound was muffled and i could focus on places where the bubbles were most plentiful from the bottom.

Suzanne in her dressing room, in a rick-rack trimmed romper

Since the water is continually bubbling up from the spring, there is a runoff room to one side. The ancient steps are covered with astroturf and there's a rope to hold onto while you lean to allow the rushing water to massage your back. It's also where I have many times rinsed off after returning from a West Virginia backpacking trip, dirty and sore. Time was, I could shampoo my hair there, but I haven't seen small bottles of Homestead shampoo down there for several years.  Dimly lit and roaring, the runoff room seems like it could be slimy and possibly inhabited by critters. It's not for everyone, which leaves more room for those who want the entire nuanced experience.

Historic hot springs are worth the detour. Virginians prefer total immersion, especially if Mr. Jefferson did it.

Typical Christmas

I always get sick. No pause button. Making things: potting bulbs. Cookies. Sewing special things for Mama and Oliver and Henry. Something special for McKendree. I should be more selfish and go to the gym.Coughing and hacking is not attractive.

My dog Phoebe, is good to take a nap with, which is what I did today. Now I'm looking for my work blog address and login because I read a fabulous article in the Harvard Business Review about Social Media Branding. All true.

So I found my personal blog and felt guilty. So I'm posting this half-assed blog and now I'll try a few more gmail addresses and then go wrap some more presents. Besides, my beer is upstairs.

It's All About Balance

I am in the eye of the storm. With VMFA opening in less than 2 months, everything needs to be done. It's a daily dance of making priorities about who to call back and who to call. A balance of which creative new efforts to compete and how many standard communications to maintain. How to upload on every community website? Which initiatives most important to promote? Knowing what's happening all over the museum. Finding ways to integrate these discoveries. And a biggie: migrating content to the handsome new website. Not enough time. Which ones are most important? How to communicate that VMFA is not just your mother's art museum any more?

I am humbled by the passion and commitment by my colleagues throughout the museum. Many of the leaders in my division are fairly new to the profession. This infuses us with fewer sacred cows in our efforts, but also less adherence to traditional cultural communications. Is this a problem? Who knows? Staff reductions acerbates the challenge. I repeat almost daily to the wonderful and stressed staff at VMFA: we must be kind to each each other, respect our choices and give each other plenty of understanding when we are puckish and pushy about what we feel is important.

And then there's life. Striking a balance now is especially difficult. I am working long hours, nights and weekends trying to complete as many efforts as possible. Thanks to a pal, I am training for the 10K which is a good discipline. At least one yoga class weekly is non negotiable. I try to eat well (when I eat) and sure do appreciate my dog and husband. We walk every night, sometimes in peaceful silence. Joe has grown weary of my absence and of this computer.

And then there is family. Sloan's Labor Day wedding, generously scheduled after VMFA's opening. Our grandsons who grow and change daily. Our other children and entire extended family, especially my beloved mother. They are what is really important in my life, along with the nurturing of my soul and spirit.

So I'll stop so I can dress for church. And this afternoon I'll spend some time in the garden. The bird feeder needs to be refilled, and I can take the screen off the pond. And finish the NYT.

Spinning a yarn

They say olfactory senses are the most powerful for memory. That was certainly the case when I entered the Pauley Center parlor and smelled raw fleece. I majored in textiles in art school and spent several years after graduation teaching traditional textile arts. Spinning wool and flax on a variety of spinning wheels was a perennially popular practice.

I still learned a lot from fiber artist Judith Towner of Clotho's Children Handspinners. She demonstrated fiber spinning techniques to an attentive crowd, mesmerizing us with exotic drop spindles from many cultures and with skeins of yarn spun from wool, cotton, flax, alpaca, angora and even Lhasa Apso. It’s easy to imagine spinning enough yarn for sweaters and blankets, but think about ship’s sails!

Judith mentioned the Fall Fiber Festival, which will be at James Madison’s Montpelier October 2-3. It’s a lovely day full of beautiful handspun yarn, every kind of weaving, spinning, and knitting demonstrations as well sheep shearing and the ever popular sheep dog trials. They have various breeds of sheep on display and of course sell raw fleece, redolent with the natural lanolin which coats very fiber to make a sheep water resistant.

I’ve marked my calendar, yet again inspired by VMFA!