Huguenot Springs, Virginia facts for kids
Huguenot Springs is a small place in Powhatan County, Virginia, that doesn't have its own local government. It's right next to Chesterfield County. People who live here mostly reside along Route 607, also known as Huguenot Springs Road, and on other roads in the area.
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The Story of Huguenot Springs
Huguenot Springs gets its name from a famous place that used to be there: the Huguenot Springs Hotel Resort and Spa. A "resort" is like a fancy vacation spot, and a "spa" is where people go to relax and feel better, often using special water.
How the Resort Began
Two brothers, Abraham S. and Archibald L. Wooldridge, first thought of building this resort. They were successful business owners who also ran the Midlothian Coal Mining Company, which was about 5 miles away. They hired a skilled architect named John Notman to design a large, three-story hotel. Besides the main hotel, many smaller cottages were built for guests to stay in.
The resort opened its doors on July 1, 1847. It quickly became a very popular place for wealthy farmers and business people from eastern Virginia. Before Huguenot Springs, the closest resorts with natural springs were over 100 miles away! Huguenot Springs was much closer, only 17 miles away, making it a convenient and exciting new option for relaxation.
Huguenot Springs During the Civil War
When the American Civil War started, the hotel building was changed into a hospital for soldiers from the Confederate Army. It was a place where sick or injured soldiers could rest and get better. Sadly, about 250 soldiers who died there are buried in unmarked graves in the nearby cemetery.
What Remains Today
In 1890, the old hotel burned down. Today, all that's left of the once-popular resort are the stone foundations of the hotel and the old cemetery. Visitors can still go to the cemetery, which is located on Old Confederate Cemetery Road (Route 640). It's a quiet place that reminds us of the area's long history.
