Warm Springs Bathhouses
Why it's listed
Two spring-fed bath houses at Warm Springs, Bath County, Virginia, preserve a form of public bathing that dates to the eighteenth century. The men's bath house is a simple one-story frame octagon with little decoration. Its two gabled entrances appear original, while the projecting dressing rooms were added later. The later women's bath house is larger, with twenty sides, vertical siding and an enclosed gallery under a shed roof that holds individual dressing booths. Each pool is thirty-five feet across and fed through loose cobbles at the bottom, with water holding near 96 degrees. Roofs shaped as truncated octagonal pyramids have openings for ventilation. The springs were first known for curative powers but became fashionable resorts, and Warm Springs began the yearly circuit of Virginia springs visited by Southern aristocrats. The men's bath house was apparently built in the last third of the eighteenth century. Both buildings remain in good repair, little altered, and still serve their original purpose.
Significance in brief: The Warm Springs served as the starting point for the annual tours of the Virginia springs, a social custom of Southern aristocrats escaping summer heat. The bath houses are described as excellent examples of simplicity in public accommodations in early Virginia. They have changed little and are still used for their original purpose.
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). NRHP reference 69000222, listed October 8, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Warm Springs off Rt. 220, Warm Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Bath County |
| Listed | October 8, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000222 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in an excellent state of repair with very little alteration, still used for their original purpose and maintained by the Homestead Hotel. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Warm Springs and West Warm Springs Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.05375, -79.78068 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 69000222.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6175570
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.