HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The National Park Service (NPS) marked a major milestone on August 19, 2025, with the groundbreaking for the rehabilitation of the historic Maurice Bathhouse at Hot Springs National Park. Funded by a $31.6 million allocation from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund, the project aims to restore one of the park’s most iconic structures.
Built in 1912 and shuttered since November 1974, the Maurice Bathhouse is the final historic building on Bathhouse Row slated for restoration. The rehabilitation will include essential safety upgrades and restoration of key historic features—enhancing the building’s appeal to future leaseholders and reducing long-term maintenance costs.
The project is part of a broader effort that also addresses critical repairs at the Buckstaff, Libbey, and Fordyce Bathhouses. These renovations support the park’s successful historic leasing program, which has repurposed other bathhouses into vibrant destinations such as a boutique hotel, a spa, a children’s museum, and a microbrewery that uses the park’s thermal spring water.
Superintendent Laura Miller underscored the significance of the restoration: “This project is about more than bricks and mortar—it’s about preserving the stories, architecture, and spirit of Hot Springs for generations to come,” she said. “We’re grateful for the support of our partners and the public as we take this next step in revitalizing Bathhouse Row.”
GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund is a robust initiative supported by revenue from energy development. It allocates up to $1.3 billion annually over five years to address extensive maintenance and repair needs across national parks, enabling NPS to preserve historic sites and enrich visitor experiences through improved recreation and education opportunities.
The Maurice Bathhouse holds a unique place in the history and architecture of Bathhouse Row. Designed by New York architect George Gleim Jr., the three-story structure combined Italian Renaissance Revival and Mediterranean styles, featuring gilded oak pilasters, stained glass skylights, and modern amenities upon its 1912 opening. It included a gymnasium, roof garden, elevators, and, later, a therapeutic pool in the basement—a rarity among its peers. Over six decades, it provided more than 2.5 million therapeutic baths to visitors. It remains today the only unoccupied historic bathhouse on the Row.
As restoration moves forward, stakeholders and visitors can look forward to a rejuvenated landmark that balances historical integrity with modern utility, ensuring the Maurice Bathhouse continues to be part of Hot Springs’ story for generations to come.
This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens—thank you for supporting our work!
