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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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
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| 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!
