[Little Rock / Hot Springs, AR, Mar 23, 2024]

The benefit of our long day yesterday was that we had much less driving to do today. Our first stop was Arkansas’ capital, Little Rock, just 2 hours away. There were two attractions here I wanted to see – the William J Clinton Presidential Library and the Arkansas State Capitol.

Presidential Libraries bring together the documents and artifacts of a President and his administration. The concept dates back to 1939, when President Franklin Roosevelt donated his personal and Presidential papers to the Federal Government. He also pledged part of his estate at Hyde Park for the construction of a library and museum building. In 1950, Harry S. Truman decided that he, too, would build a library to house his Presidential papers and helped to galvanize congressional action. In 1955, Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act, establishing a system of privately erected and federally maintained libraries. The Act encouraged other Presidents to donate their historical materials, but they were not required to do so until the Presidential Records Act of 1978. It established that Presidential records are the property of the United States Government and it allowed for the continuation of Presidential libraries as the repository for Presidential records.

The library is next to the Arkansas River, and I admired the views from its many windows.

The replica of the Oval Office was quite fun! We got to go inside and pose behind the Resolute Desk while our picture got taken. I didn’t intend to buy the photos, but Ash succumbed.

The exhibit on Presidential Gifts featured a familiar artist from the Pacific Northwest – renowned glass maker Dale Chihuly! His Glass Garden in Seattle is amazing, and I’ve also seen some of his pieces at the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA). Chihuly created two identical towers of glass to be installed in the Grand Foyer of the White House for the Millennium celebration on NYE 1999. One of the crystal trees was donated to the library in 2004.

A long exhibit hall detailed the 8 years of the administration. I was impressed that President Clinton’s daily schedule for his entire presidency was available in binders! I’ve only been to one other Presidential Library, Ronald Reagan’s near LA. The two are very different but I think I liked this one better.

The Arkansas State Capitol was a also great, albeit a bit predictable. Most state capitols are domed and modeled after the one in Washington DC, so they all look very similar. I still am a sucker for them and will visit them when I am in the vicinity.

The drive to Hot Springs was less than an hour. I was excited for park # 44! Upon arrival, we checked into the historic Arlington Hotel, which was right on the edge of the row of bathhouses that comprise Hot Springs National Park.

A full 40 years before Yellowstone was created, in 1832, Congress set aside Hot Springs Reservation to preserve it for future recreation. It was the first time land was set aside for this purpose. The hot spring water had been popularly believed for centuries to possess medicinal properties, and was a subject of legend among several Native American tribes. Following federal protection in 1832, the city developed into a successful spa town.

Bathhouse Row, the collection of bathhouses the park preserves, are the third and fourth generations of bathhouses along Hot Springs Creek. They were all built in the late 19th and early 20th century as separate, competing enterprises. Each is in a different architectural style but they all align in a linear pattern and feature formal entrances, outdoor fountains and promenades. Bathhouse Row was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 28, 1987.

Fordyce House was built in 1914-15 in Renaissance Revival style and was the most lavish one. It was the first of the bathhouses to close in 1962 as bathing for therapeutic purposes declined. It has served as the national park visitor center since 1989. We popped in to get our stamps and souvenirs.

Quapaw Bathhouse (1912, Spanish Colonial Revival) is the only one that still functions as such. We went inside and made an appointment to use the public pools, and also booked a private soak. I couldn’t wait to experience the historic spa.

For a truly unique experience, we headed to Superior Bathhouse, which was turned into a brewery – the only one in a national park! We grabbed lunch and a beer on the side patio, which looked over to our hotel.

At the other end of Bathhouse row, we found the National Park Administration building, another park sign and one of the entrances to the Grand Promenade. It was built in 1933 and paved with bricks in the 1950s. It runs behind the bathhouses from one end of Bathhouse Row to the other. It was a great way to get away from the busy main street and enjoy the budding spring colors.

It has been a while since I’d visited a non-West coast national park, which also means it’s been a while since I’ve visited a national park that that did not involve multiple days of strenuous hikes. I thoroughly enjoyed the small size, more urban nature and historical significance of this park, it was a nice break from routine!