Montezuma Hot Springs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Montezuma Hot SpringsLas Vegas Hot Springs |
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Montezuma hot springs "The Cube"
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| Location | Montezuma, New Mexico |
| Coordinates | 35°39′16″N 105°17′04″W / 35.65444°N 105.28444°W |
| Elevation | 6,772 feet |
| Type | geothermal |
| Temperature | 138°F (59°C) |
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Montezuma Hot Springs, also known as Las Vegas Hot Springs, are a group of warm water springs. You can find them in Montezuma, New Mexico, close to the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico. These springs are in San Miguel County. There are about 20 to 30 different springs here.
Contents
History of the Springs
For hundreds of years, local Native American people used these springs. They believed the warm waters had special healing powers.
A cool legend says the springs got their name "Montezuma" in 1846. Soldiers heard a story from the Pecos Pueblo people. They said a Mexican emperor named Montezuma grew up at the springs. When it was time for him to become emperor, eagles carried him back to Mexico.
In the early 1800s, Spanish ranchers used the area. But they did not build anything big around the springs. After New Mexico became part of the United States in 1846, the U.S. Army built a hospital. It was made of adobe, a type of mud brick. This hospital was later turned into a hotel in 1862, called The Adobe.
Hotels and Railroads
In 1879, some business people from the eastern U.S. helped build a second hotel. It was called the Hot Springs Hotel. This new hotel had two bathhouses. One was for soaking in hot mineral water, and the other was for mud baths.
In 1880, the Santa Fe Railroad bought the Hot Springs Hotel. They also bought the land and bathhouses. In 1882, the railroad built a train track to the springs. The first train arrived on April 5, 1882.
Later that year, the railroad opened a huge new hotel. It was called the Montezuma Hotel. This hotel had three floors and 270 rooms. It was built in the beautiful Queen Anne style.
Fires and Rebuilding
Sadly, in January 1884, the Montezuma Hotel and its bathhouses burned down. But the Santa Fe Railroad quickly started planning a new, even grander hotel. It was finished in 1885.
Just four months after opening, the second Montezuma Hotel also burned down. Only the stone walls of the bottom two floors were left. But they rebuilt it a third time! It opened in August 1886. This time, it was officially named the Phoenix Hotel. However, many people still called it the Montezuma Hotel.
Some stories say that famous outlaws like Billy the Kid and Jesse James visited the springs. They supposedly used the waters after playing cards nearby.
What the Springs Look Like
Today, there are three main groups of concrete soaking pools. They have sand and gravel bottoms and are different depths. Volunteers clean these pools every two weeks. Fresh spring water flows into them all the time, keeping them clean.
- The Lobster Pot: This is the hottest pool. It has been shaped into a hillside.
- The Cube: This pool sits near the old bathhouse ruins.
- The Toaster: This group has two concrete pools.
There are also some muddy spots nearby. You can dig out the mud to make your own small, simple soaking pools.
Healing Waters
People believed the hot mineral waters at Montezuma had special healing powers. Soaking in the springs was thought to help with different health problems. For a while, the springs even served as an army hospital.
In 1879, a famous person named Doc Holliday stayed at the springs. He was looking for treatment for his health. He joined a group called the "Lungers Club" at the Adobe Hotel. This club was for people seeking better health. A brochure from 1883 even called the hot springs a "paradise for people with lung diseases." It said they could be comfortable there all year.
Water Details
The hot spring water comes out of the ground at 138°F (59°C). The water in the soaking pools is a bit cooler, usually between 94°F and 120°F. The water comes from cracks in the rocks where the Gallinas River crosses a fault line.
The water contains small amounts of minerals like sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, and sulfate. It also has some silica and a lot of fluoride. Compared to other hot springs nearby, Montezuma's water has less chloride but more bicarbonate and sulfate.
Location of the Springs
The hot springs are located across from the Gallinas River. They are now on the property of the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West. The college's main building, known as Montezuma's Castle, was once the grand Victorian hotel. It now serves as the college's administration building.
Gallery
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First Montezuma Hotel and hot springs bathhouse, around 1881-1884
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The first Montezuma Hotel, 1882
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Second Montezuma Hotel after the fire on August 8, 1885
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Ice house above the hot springs, around 1875–1906
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Montezuma Hotel, Las Vegas Hot Springs, New Mexico, 1888
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Third Montezuma Hot Springs Hotel (also known as the Phoenix Hotel), around the 1890s
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Bears drinking from a fountain at Las Vegas Hot Springs, around 1878–1898
See also
- List of hot springs in the United States
- List of hot springs in the world
- Montezuma Castle (hotel)
