Jefferson Pools facts for kids
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Warm Springs Bathhouses
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Gentlemen's Pool House
The spa waters flow through the center of the building |
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | NE of Warm Springs off Rt. 220, Warm Springs, Virginia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1761 |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000222 (original) 100004302 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 08, 1969 |
| Boundary increase | August 20, 2019 |
The Jefferson Pools, also called Warm Springs Bathhouses and Warm Springs Pools, are two spa structures near Warm Springs, Virginia. The name was changed in the 20th century from "Warm Spring Pools" to "Jefferson Pools". The spa is part of The Homestead, a resort hotel in nearby Hot Springs.
The Gentlemen's Pool House is the oldest spa structure in the United States. The octagonal wood building was built in 1761. The spas are naturally fed by a 98 °F (37 °C) mineral spring. The men's spa holds 40,000 US gallons (150,000 L) of constantly flowing water.
The Ladies' Pool House was built in 1836. The buildings have changed little over the years, being made of wood with a central pool and a roof that is open to the elements. Famous bathers include Thomas Jefferson, who spent three weeks in 1819 bathing three times day and described the waters in a letter to his daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, as being of "first merit".
The site was listed as Warm Springs Bathhouses on the Virginia Landmarks Register on November 11, 1968 and the National Register of Historic Places on October 8, 1969.
The Jefferson Pools were ordered closed by Bath County in October 2017 due to the deteriorated condition of the bathhouses becoming a safety hazard.
The owner, The Omni Homestead Resort, reports that their goal is to reopen the pools in late 2020.
