Before white men came to the area, tribal peoples occupied the site of Hot Springs for the “curative” benefits of its mineral springs. The constant 97-98 degree waters became the basis of a thriving resort town, where numerous bathhouses, sanitariums, and luxurious hotels were built for the thousands who came to bathe in or drink from the warm springs. A leading entrepreneur in the town’s growth, Fred T. Evans, built the grand five-story Evans Hotel in 1891-92, and it still stands as a centerpiece of the town. The hotel featured furnishings imported from Europe, electric lights, and warm water piped in for steam heat and baths, and its grounds included golf links, tennis courts, and a bathhouse connected by an enclosed passageway. Constructed of pink sandstone mined four miles from town at Evans Quarry, it exemplified the material that became the building block of Hot Springs in white, pink, and tan varieties. The Fall River County Courthouse, the VA Center with the VA Staircase, the Minnekahta Block, and the State Soldiers Home of grey sandstone with a double verandah all reflect the grandeur and pride of early Hot Springs. People still come to swim in the same waters enjoyed at the turn of the century, and picturesque streetscapes lined with nearly 50 sandstone structures, including the smallest union depot in the world, preserve the legacy of the town’s early builders.

Photo: Postcard published by Emil Hargens, Hot Springs, S.D.

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Photo: Cosmos Mariner

Hot Springs, South Dakota · USA