"...Completed in 1922, the Quapaw has a large Moorish-style dome covered with tiles and capped with a copper cupola. It's a 24,000 square foot Spanish Colonial Revival building with underground tufa in the basement, containing the Quapaw Spring ..."
Of all the bathhouses, this one truly stands out with its beautiful design.

Hernando de Soto first visited this area in 1541. As more and more people came to soak in the waters, the idea of reserving the springs for the nation took root and a proposal was submitted to Congress. In 1832, the Federal Government set aside four sections of land here, the first U.S. reservation made simply to protect a natural resource. This actually makes Hot Springs our oldest national park beating Yellowstone by 40 years. It officially became a national park in March 1921.

Bathhouse Row, picured above, is a National Historic Landmark District.

Another interesting note about this park: The Public Health Service operated a venereal disease clinic in the Government Free Bathhouse (1922-1948) here. It was one of the first facilities in the United States to use penicillin.