Glen Springs Sanitarium facts for kids

The Glen Springs Sanitarium was a famous hotel and health center. It was also known as The Glen Springs. It stood high above Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen, New York. In the early 1900s, people called it the "Nauheim of America." This meant it was like a very important health spa in Germany. The building was a well-known landmark until it was taken down in 1996.

The Glen's Early Days

The main building of this place was built in 1872. A judge named George G. Freer built it. He was a lawyer who came to Watkins Glen in 1851. He helped prove that Dr. Samuel Watkins' wife, Cynthia Ann Cass Watkins, was the rightful owner of his property after he died. Judge Freer later married Cynthia, and when she passed away, he became the owner of a large estate.

Judge Freer had a big dream. He wanted to open the beautiful local area, called the Glen, to the public. Under his ownership, the Glen became a tourist spot. It was called Freer's Glen. Later, it was sold to Mordalven Ells, who opened it to the public in 1863.

In 1906, the State of New York bought the Glen. They opened it as the first State Park that was free to enter. In 1924, it became part of the Finger Lakes State Parks.

The Health Resort Opens

Judge Freer had built a hotel called the "Lake View Hotel" near the Glen. He hoped it would bring in tourists. This beautiful building was designed in a style called Second Empire. It would become the main part of the Glen Springs Resort and Sanitarium. But Freer's hotel idea didn't work out at first.

However, something unexpected happened. People were drilling for oil on the property. Instead of oil, they found black, salty water about 1,600 feet deep! The drillers were disappointed. But scientists studied the water. They found it had amazing healing powers. It was even better than the water at the Nauheim Springs in Germany, which was the most famous health spa at the time. It turned out that the Seneca people, who lived on the land long ago, already knew about the healing properties of these springs.

News about this discovery reached William Elderkin Leffingwell. He and his cousin, Dr. James A. Jackson, ran another health resort. They had been looking for a new place for a sanitarium. A sanitarium is a special place where people go to get healthy and heal. Leffingwell visited Watkins Glen in 1890. He quickly realized it was perfect for a health resort.

In March 1890, the Glen Springs opened as a hotel and sanitarium. It quickly became famous around the world. Many people came there to use its healing waters.

Different springs had different healing qualities. Some springs provided water for the hotel's running water. Others were used for special baths. A two-story bathhouse was built right next to the hotel. It had tiled floors and marble walls. Guests could enjoy many types of baths there for different health problems. Leffingwell kept expanding the property. It grew from 20 acres to 270 acres. Gas wells on the land provided heat for the buildings. Food was also grown there for the guests and staff.

Leffingwell passed away in 1927. His family kept running the resort. But over time, the Glen Springs became less popular. Finally, World War II caused the resort to lose many of its remaining guests. It closed its doors on January 1, 1942.

What Happened Next

After World War II ended, Cornell University used the former resort. They needed housing for many veterans who were returning from the war and enrolling in college.

In 1949, the property was sold to a group of Franciscan friars from Poland. They started St. Anthony of Padua Minor Seminary and Prep School there. This school educated high school-aged students who were thinking about joining the Order. The school, known as Padua, closed in 1970. After many years of not being used, the friars sold the property in 1983 for new development.

The main building was taken down in March 1996. However, the gymnasium building remained. It was used for several years, even as recently as 1990, by a program called The Arc of Schuyler. Eventually, The Arc moved out, but the gymnasium building is still there.