Doctors recommended spas as treatments for different illnesses just like they write prescriptions today. The hot water made them feel better and they told their friends and neighbors. Soon word got around that the hot springs in Arkansas were good for lots of ailments. That's why Hot Springs National Park surrounds the north end of the city of Hot Springs. And that's what makes it different from other national parks.
Most national parks are far away from cities and most dont boast many old buildings.
Hot Springs National Park has beautiful old bathhouses. The Fordyce Bathhouse is being used as the park visitor center. Visitors can tour it to find out how people used to take baths there, as well as view the building, fountains and stained glass ceilings. Today, Hot Springs National Park has nearly 5,000 acres and is the smallest national park. It is made up mostly of mountains - Hot Springs Mountain, where the 47 hot springs are and West Mountain, Music Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain, Blowout Mountain, and Indian Mountain.