Day 21-Hot Springs

If you've never told that special teacher in your life how much he/she meant to you, do it before it's too late.  You'll be so glad you did.

As many of you know I was an educator for 34 years.  Many of the conferences that I attended focused on "what makes a great teacher?"  Speakers would ask us to think of our favorite teacher when we were in school.  Who was that teacher, and what qualities did he/she possess that made him/her your favorite?

My favorite teacher was Raymond Leibau, my music at teacher at St. Louis Country Day School.

Seven years ago when I was retired I was thinking about those conferences and Mr. Liebau, and I realized he probably never knew he was my favorite teacher.  So I wrote to him, filled him in on my career, and told him how much I enjoyed his classes and why.  Mr. Liebau responded very quickly to my letter, thanking me for the kind words, and sharing with me how much he enjoyed teaching to my classmates and me, and how much he learned from us students.

As my 50th high school reunion approached in 2018, I decided to share my letter to Mr. Liebau with my fellow graduates, and I was surprised how many classmates wrote me back, saying, "Mr. Liebau was my favorite teacher too."

So our class invited Mr. Liebau, and his wife, Ruth,  to join us for our 50th reunion.  They did, and I think all of my classmates and I agreed the Liebaus presence at our reunion was the highlight of that weekend.

Over the last five years Mr. Liebau and I have continued to email each other, so when my wife Joni and I started mapping out our itinerary for our spring trip for this year, and knew we had to stop in and visit Mr. Liebau.  Sadly Ruth passed away in February, 2022.

After leaving St. Louis Country Day School in the late 60's Mr. Liebau moved to Oxford, Mississippi, where he taught for 30 years before retiring and moving to Malvern, Arkansas, which is just outside Hot Springs.

Ray, Joni, and I had a great visit today.  We reminisced, shared our life stories, and simply just got to know each other better.   Ray took us on a driving tour of the Hot Springs area, and we dined at his favorite restaurant  What a great day it was.

Leaving Ray around 1:30 PM we returned to the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center, primarily touring the bathhouses that made this made this resort among the most visited health resorts in the U.S. in the 1900's.  

• 1832 President Andrew Jackson signed legislation to establish the Hot Springs Reservation.  
• 1849 the reservation is placed under the control of the Department of the Interior.  
• 1921 Hot Springs named a national park

Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past going back to the early 1800's.  It stands as an icon for healing and a tribute to the “American Spa” of the 20th century. The grand architecture of the nine historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of years. The ancient thermal springs, mountain views, incredible geology, forested hikes, and abundant creeks – all in the middle of town – make Hot Springs National Park a unique and beautiful destination.

Bathhouse Row

Ozark House: The mission style of the Ozark Bathhouse may relate to the claim that Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto visited the hot springs. The building's twin towers are strictly decorative. On Bathhouse Row, the Quapaw, the Fordyce, and the Hale Bathhouses, with their red clay roof tiles, also reflect this Spanish association.  The Ozark's scroll and shield decorations and classical designs on window planters suggest a relationship with Roman baths.

Quapaw Bathhouse: The Caddo, Quapaw, and Choctaw tribes lived in or visited the area during the 1700s and 1800s. This edifice pays homage to their lasting influence.   The owners named the bathhouse for the Quapaw Indians, and incorporated an Indian head design over the entrance. The towering building dominates Bathhouse Row.  This is the only bathhouse that is still functioning as a bathhouse.

Fordyce Bathhouse: Inspired by the spas of Europe, Colonel Samuel Fordyce opened this Renaissance Revival bathhouse in 1915.  With its copper-framed glass marquee and elegant window design, the Fordyce reflects a crowning achievement of the Golden Age of Bathing.

Its interior features are also ornate. A stained glass ceiling in the men's bath hall creates an underwater atmosphere. Terra cotta fountains and other stained glass panels provided artful and luxurious surroundings.

This was the lobby for the Fordyce bathhouse.  Now it's the lobby for the National Park Visitor Center. The elegance of this bathhouse reminded me of what we saw at the Biltmore in Asheville, NC.

The naturally heated spring water comes to the surface at 140°.  To me, that's hot!

One of the many murals that decorate the downtown area of Hot Springs.

Another lakeside campsite for us.  Four in a row!

Our route for today; an easy 140 miles.