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Garland County Historical Society

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Garland County Historical Society

The Garland County Historical Society was founded in 1960 to preserve the history of Garland County.
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09/02/2026

Hamilton House Restaurant
The original owner of this home and property were Van and Frances Lyell in the 1930's. Dr. and Mrs. Smith purchased the site in 1971 and, after renovations, served as a fine dining establishment for about 25 years until September 2003.
Hamilton House was award winning in many categories including recognition for original recipes, regionally Best Overall, Best Dessert and Most Romantic!
Baked Alaska anyone?

This legacy Hot Springs lake home (later Hamilton House) enjoys an underground walkway from the house to the lake. The lakeside entrance is framed in rock and has long been a landmark on the lake.
Located off Hway 7S on Van Lyell Terrace. The property remains a treasure in the Hot Springs area and is privately owned.

Do you remember dining at the Hamilton House in Hot Springs on Lake Hamilton?

Photo is part of the Gary Simmons Collection
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09/01/2026

Legends Balloon Rally is pictured in 2008 and was held at Hot Springs Memorial Field. At the same event was a BBQ contest named "Smoke on the Water" and an antique car show - at least initially! The Balloon Rally main event was cancelled due to weather more than once during the years it was held. The event was eventually cancelled as a recurring festival primarily due to weather impacting the balloons as well as the conflict present during this time of year with the well established Albuquerque Balloon Festival.

These photos were taken during the Balloon Glow which occurs the evening before the rally.
An average balloon weighs approx. 700 pounds!
The Legends Balloon Rally ended after a 6 year run at Hot Springs Memorial Field.

Did you ever attend this Rally?
Photos are courtesy of the Suzie Harris Collection.

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08/30/2026

National Park Week August 22-30 - National Parks, America's Best Idea

In 1917, Stephen T. Mather, an avid conservationist, was appointed to lead the National Park Service, the new agency created within the Department of the Interior. He served as Director until 1929, during which time Mather created a professional civil service organization, increased the numbers of parks and national monuments, and established systematic criteria for adding new properties to the federal system.
One of his earliest acts as Director was to begin the push to make Hot Springs an official national park instead of being designated a reservation, which was Congressional action before National Parks were established. HSNP continued to hold a special place in his heart for the rest of his tenure and he visited our spa often The photo of him on horseback was taken at Happy Hollow Amusement Park in 1915.

The Mather Plaque, also pictured, is located in the Park's admistration building and reads:
"Stephen Tyng Mather
— July 4, 1867 — Jan. 22, 1930
He laid the foundation of the National Park Service, defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end to the good that he has done."

These plaques are found from Alaska to the Virgin Islands, Maine to Hawaii. They cover the gamut of National Parks, Monuments, a Sea Shore, Parkways, Memorials, a Preserve, a Battlefield, Recreation Areas, Historical Parks, Historic Sites, three administrative offices, a couple of State Parks, a city park, two schools
and more. Some people collect photos of these plaques, similar to collecting stamps at National Parks.
National Parks are special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. We are proud that Hot Springs is included as a National Park and agree it is a special, one of a kind, place!
Enjoy National Park Week!

GCHS publication The Record
Stephen Mather / National Parks/ Ken Burns / PBS
Wikipedia
NPS.gov
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08/29/2026

Fountain Lake - (aka Arbordale) was located about 4 miles northeast of Hot Springs on the old LR Hwy (out Park Ave past the Belvedere CC and before the FL school).
Opening in 1933, it was a popular recreational destination. The original arch is featured in this early photo dated 1934. An early owner, William Trotter Hull, wrote the narrative to the photo as if it were,the daughter's voice, Elizabeth Hull. But actually, William Trotter was the reporter on the photo when Elizabeth was a baby.
In those early years, the swimming pool was a small lake supplied by clear spring water. "A grand cherub-adorned fountain was centered in the lake." The Tavern located on the grounds, was a favorite with both tourists and local residents.
A larger arch replaced this original along with platforms, slides, a spinning waterwheel, paddleboats and sand beaches delighted the guests and Fountain Lake became an early version of a water park. Dixieland bands from New Orleans regularly played at the island dance pavilion and the Tavern.

The photos from the 1940's features the beaches and the added attractions.
Photo of the original arch from 1934 is courtesy of Rebecca Owen Priddy.
A scrapbook page is from a vacation that included Fountain Lake. The page shows many of the features such as the slide, pavilion, diving tower and Tavern - a popular destination.
Garland County, Arkansas: Our History and Heritage, I. B. Anthony, Editor

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08/28/2026

The #3 Arlington Hotel and Bathhouse is quickly rising, replacing #2 Arlington that had been destroyed by fire. Opposite the construction on Central Ave is the Southern Club (before the awning and sign was added) and the 4 story Waukesha Hotel and Bathhouse. The Medical Arts Building doesn't arrive for a few more years! (1930)
Uneeda Biscuit is advertised on a building a little further north.
For this photo, you are standing about at the overlook on the Grand Promenade but before it was there! Sugar Loaf Mountain is in the distance.
The official groundbreaking of the "new" Arlington ( #3) was October 25, 1923. This photo was likely early 1924. The #3 Arlington officially opened December 31, 1924.

ca 1924

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08/27/2026

Help if you can please! We have no information on this Lakeside School photo beyond the location.
Do you recognize anyone, likely teachers?

All help is appreciated!

08/26/2026

National Dog Day 2026 is today, August 26! A repeat of this Hot Springs' canine hero post - sadly Hot Springs has no terrier sized statue in his honor!

In honor of all good dogs everywhere, GCHS would like to share the story of the fabulous, Bill Dooley, the wire-haired terrier and beloved mascot of the Hot Springs Fire Department. For many years, beginning in 1898, Bill Dooley would ride to fires perched on the seat of the fire wagon.

Here he is riding with Hose Company No. 3 - Whittington Avenue near Water Street ca 1903. Once, with warning barks, he was credited with saving two firemen from plunging through the burned second floor of a building. It was a tragic day in 1909 when Bill died in the line of duty when the fire wagon accidentally ran over him while responding to a call.
The grieving HS Fire Department printed this photo of Bill smoking a pipe in a booklet after his death.

Make a dog feel special today with a new toy, treat, chew or a walk in the park! Shelters and rescues always appreciate donations and adoptions!

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08/25/2026

Margaret Strock

Moving here with her family in the early 1870s, Margaret (aka Maggie) Strock became the first female photographer in Hot Springs. She started her photography career as an assistant for famed early Hot Springs photographer J. F. Kennedy and later worked on her own. Some Kennedy photos, famous for capturing the landmarks and life of the early town, are actually Strock photos.
She is buried in Hollywood Cemetery.

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08/23/2026

Bathhouse Row ca 1887
The Ozark Bathhouse is on the left and partially obscured by the buildings in the foreground. The Rammelsberg Bathhouse on the right out in the open. Bath Street leads into Bathhouse Row.
The Ozark was built in 1880 on site of an earlier bathhouse (the Weir and George Bathhouse) that had burned in an 1878 fire that destroyed much of downtown Hot Springs. The Victorian Ozark was torn down in 1921. The modern Ozark opened in 1922. The Rammelsberg Bathhouse replaced the A. B. Gaines bathhouse destroyed in the 1878 fire. The Rammelsberg was replaced with The Buckstaff Bathhouse in 1912.
The original Army Navy Hospital is on the right.

The photo was taken by Photographer J. F. Kennedy, who produced stereographs or stereocards featuring Hot Springs' major landmarks. He is first listed in the City Directory in 1876 and worked here until his death in 1902. Mr. Kennedy had a studio in the center of downtown, when Central Ave was still called Valley Street. His cards were very popular with tourists but few remain, they are rare and treasured views of Hot Springs.
ca 1887

Thanks to Tom Hill, Museum Curator, Hot Springs National Park for all the Bathhouse information!

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08/22/2026

Multi-state, multi-county and multi-agency law enforcement plus bloodhounds!

The caption on the photo reads: Bloodhounds captured Arkansas Poison Killer. Mark H. Shank, attorney of Akron, O., is shown (fourth from left) with officers after bloodhounds had tracked him down in the Arkansas woods. Shank confessed to poisoning five of member of the family of Alvin Colley, killing four of them. Left to right: Officer Buckalew, Hot Springs Policeman; Jeff Davis, Police Chief at Bauxite, Arkansas; Joe Wakelin, Police Chief at Hot Springs; Mark H. Shank; V.S. Rucker, Saline County Seriff and Miller Hobart, Prosecuting Attorney at Malvern, Ark.
Credit line: ACME 8/18/33

Mark Shank, from Akron, Ohio was an attorney who had hired Alvin Colley in 1930 to steal documents from the prosecutor's office that related to a case. Apparently, Colley was successful but talked about his and Shank's role too openly in Ohio, eventually causing Colley and his family to flee to Arkansas. They moved to Hot Springs and were known as Roy Fetty and family.
Shank came to visit Colley in August of 1933. He and the Colleys / Fettys went for a picnic and Shank put strychnine and grape juice in paper cups. Shank said he intended to kill the adult Colleys to protect his law practice but decided to poison the children as well. The youngest child (4 years old) had seen Shank add something to the juice and refused to drink his. His two brothers (aged 6 and 8) along with his parents all drank and became sick immediately.

Cooley (sick and dying) started driving back to HS and crashed his car. A Hot Springs detective named Herbert Akers, happened to be behind the Colley vehicle, saw Shank jump from the car and run to the woods. Akers chased Shank briefly but returned to the vehicle to find Cooley and the 6 year old son already dead and Cooleys wife and 8 year old son dying. Bloodhounds were used to track Shank down. Taken into custody, Shank confessed that he placed most of 40 grains of strychnine into the paper cups/grape juice.

Photo: ACME Newspictures, NY,NY
Donated by H. Bone
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas, CALS, M. K. Christ

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Address

328 Quapaw Avenue
Hot Springs, AR
71901

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 1pm
Tuesday	9am - 1pm
Wednesday	9am - 1pm
Thursday	9am - 1pm
Friday	9am - 1pm

Telephone

(501) 321-2159

Website

http://www.garlandcountyhistoricalsociety.com/

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