Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-19
EYE FAMED WARM SPRINGS"
Dr FREDERIC j. IIAsKIN

BERKELEY SPRINGS. w. VA, July
1S.-This shady little mountain village
mas most Industrious and interesting
past 1t has also q great future, while
1t seems to find tho present quite salts
factory. but it's past is it's real claim
to distinction. Many OF our great
cities are the merest upstairs COM
pared to Berkeley Springs. They wore
vulgar trading posts. running to In
dams and pioneers whom Berkeley was
already q famous haunt OF the aris-
toeraoy. To Berkeley. Chicago IL =
coarse, wealthy bounder. while even
such places as Philadelphia and New
York might envy tho little town some
OF it's carly associations. No doubt
Newport considers itself something OF
fashionable resort, but Berkeley was
entertaining the nobility Of England.
the gentility of America when tho hest
people in Newport were fishermen.
Berkeley Springs Is typified In q most
Imposing and aristocratic old lady.
who made her debut here something
over nifty years ago. and who still
comes every year. for memory's sake.
Already "Famedn in 17&S.
The nrst word about Berkeley that
comes down to ua was written by
George Washington when he was sur
veying all this Northern Virginia coun-
try for It's noble owner. Lord Fairfax.
He sets 1t down In his notes that one
day he was held up by a flood and took
the opportunity TO visit "ye famed
warm springs" That's about all he
says. and we do not oven know whether
the father OF his country improved the
opportunity to take u bath. But just
notice that Berkeley Springs was al
ready famed" in l74S.
Lord Fairfax owned them and all
tho land therenbouts. There Ia ira
ditton that this generous nobleman
contributed them to the State for the
good OF the people. All the folks here
about Seem to believe 1t. But there are
certain official records which show that
capitalists In those days were just
One of these records is n petition which
states that 400 persons were then
gathered about the springs. taking the
baths for their health. and that they
had no adequate shelter, especially the
poor. who were suffering from expo
sure. Tho petition, which IL adore sed
to the Continental Congress-. further
states that Lord Fairfax will not even
allow troe to be cut for the build
ing OF a cabin. The petitioners. there
fore. demand that the State shall take
the lands away from the noble lord
and donate them to the people. This Is
done; 4 town Is laid out and named
Bath. after the famous English re-
sort. Lots OF a quarter OF an acre
were offered for sale, and. in order to
prevent speculation. every one who
bought lot had to build n house on
1t. George Washington bought two Of
the lots, and about third OF the
whole town was bought by the officers
in his army.
Makes Springs Famous.
Needless to say, this ut once made
the springs famous from Boston to
Richmond and from the ocean to the
Allegha MES. Here fiocked the aristoc-
racy of the newborn nation. Picture
the place yourself. They came In their
coaahes and put up at the inn, which
had by this time been built. 1t was
the day OF duels and minuets. OF peri
wigs and powdered hair. The warm
spring had been dug out SO that a
great basin was formed and a sort
of stockade was built about II. When
1t WAS time for the ladies to lavo their
fairness In the warm and healing
waters. a hunting horn was winded.
and all Of the gentlemen withdrew to
discreet and considerate distance
until their turn came.
In due time tho Bath OF America
became the resort OF brains as well
as fashion That author OF early fame
who wrote under the name of Port