The Bathhouses

At the bathhouses, the mineral water is combined with hot tap water to bring the water temperature to ninety-seven degrees Fahrenheit. This keeps the carbonation at its peak. During a bath the gas bubbles form on the skin producing a gentle stimulation. Some carbon dioxide is absorbed through the skin, thus dilating blood vessels and improving circulation.

During the 1930's and 1940's, approximately 192,000 baths were administered annually when all four bathhouses were in operation. The first two bathhouses were the Washington and the Lincoln. These buildings are located on the Route 9 side of the park. The Roosevelt Bathhouses are located on each side of the mall in the center of the park.

The Washington Bathhouse opened in 1920 with private and semi-private rooms. The Washington Bathhouse building now houses the National Museum of Dance.

The Lincoln Baths building opened in 1930 after the original structure (a converted gas company building) burned to the ground. Today, in addition to the mineral baths, the Lincoln Building houses the State Park Police and the New York State Unified Court System - 4th Judicial District and New York State Court of Claims Judges Chambers.

The Roosevelt Bathhouses were considered high-class facilities that had more privacy than the other baths. Originally there were forty-six tubs, twenty-three for men and twenty-three for women. When built, they were the most modernly equipped bathhouses in the world.

The Roosevelt Bathhouse One was converted and used as a Veteran's Administration hospital from 1942 until 1951. In 1962, it was rehabilitated to serve as a health club, which included physical therapy and mineral baths. The most recent use of the building was for the hospital scene in the movie "The Horse Whisperer" in 1997. The bathhouse is expected to be restored in the near future.