Hot Springs
Also known as: Boguillas Hot Springs
Why it's listed
Hot Springs is a former health and recreation resort on the Rio Grande, about two miles west of Rio Grande Village in Big Bend National Park, Texas. The springs were reputedly known to Indians and other residents long before J. O. Langford, a man in poor health, acquired the place in 1909. He developed it as a resort and ran it until the national park was established in 1942, except for 1912 to 1927, when border unrest made the area unsafe. After returning in 1927, Langford rebuilt the bathhouse and added a store and a motor court. Only those last two buildings survive. The store is a one-story stone building, and the cabins form a row of seven attached stone rooms, four with hand-painted murals. The resort drew the first sizeable numbers of visitors to the region and helped build support for creating the national park, which is why the site was listed for its local importance in tourism and commerce.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Langford's health and recreational resort was the first in the area to draw visitors in sizeable numbers. The tourism it generated was largely responsible for the movement to establish Big Bend as a national park. It is rated as locally significant for its role in early tourism and commerce.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74000278, listed September 17, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of Rio Grande Village, Big Bend National Park |
|---|---|
| County | Brewster County |
| Listed | September 17, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000278 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1909-1952 |
| Architect / builder | J. O. Langford (built the store and motor court after 1927) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Health/Medicine, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent but altered; the store and motor court were being restored by the National Park Service. Two other structures across Tornillos Creek, a postman's shack and a stone residence, are in ruins. |
| Acreage | 115 |
| Coordinates | 29.17937, -102.99531 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74000278.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5910432
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.