The story begins in 1857, when several astute businessmen from Salem, Virginia, stumbled upon the potential of sulfur and limestone springs nestled in the serene Catawba mountain region.
Their discovery led to the establishment of the Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs Resort in June 1858. This sprawling 700-acre resort extended up the mountain from the Catawba Valley, about ten miles north of Salem, on the northern border of Roanoke County, Virginia.
At its peak, the resort catered to guests seeking refuge in the mountains for the clean, healthy air and the tranquility it offered. The mineral-rich spring water was touted as valuable for treating lung diseases, and it was even shipped around the country under the names “Catawba Iron” or “All Healing.” The main hotel could accommodate up to 300 guests.
As time passed, the resort’s popularity evolved. By the early 1900s, it had become a haven for those suffering from tuberculosis. In 1908, the Commonwealth of Virginia purchased the property from the Chapman family and allocated $40,000 to establish the first Tuberculosis Sanatorium. Initially, wooden pavilions housed TB patients, who were treated with fresh air, ample sunshine, rest, and abundant food.
The Red Sulphur Springs Gazebo, an ornate iron pavilion, still stands today over one of the springs. It graces the northeast point of the hospital campus behind the Garst Building.
The marble fountain within the gazebo bears the names of many former patients of the sanatorium. Nearby, the only remaining building from the Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs era is the Infirmary, which stood where the current Main Hospital Building (Nichols Building) now stands. Erected in 1918, the Infirmary was designed to house up to 1,260 patients during a time when the sanatorium’s census was rapidly escalating.
Red Sulphur Springs, located in Monroe County, West Virginia, was a popular mineral spring resort from the 1820s until World War I. The spring water emerged from the ground at a chilly 54 degrees Fahrenheit and left a purplish-red sulfurous deposit. This unique water was used to treat various skin conditions.
The Red Sulphur Springs are situated on West Virginia Route 12, close to Indian Creek. In the 19th century, these springs were renowned for their curative powers. Dr. William Burke, who visited the springs in the summer of 1837, described them as having water with exceptional healing properties.
The Red Sulphur Springs boasted a beautiful pavilion constructed over the springs, supported by 12 Ionic columns. It was second only to the White Sulphur Springs in terms of visitor numbers and accommodations. The water’s medical usefulness was well-documented, particularly for pulmonary diseases.
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The Red Sulphur Springs Gazebo, a testament to the resort’s legacy, stands over one of the healing springs. If you ever find yourself near Catawba, take a moment to appreciate the echoes of the past and the enduring spirit of wellness that once graced these hills.
The Red Sulphur Springs are located in Monroe County in what is now West Virginia, and are the furthest west and south of all the springs written about by Dr. Burke in his 1846 book. He described the gorge where the springs are located as being gloomy with only a rude shelter over the springs and several comfortless, windowless cabins when he first visited in 1829.
Burke purchased the springs in 1832 and made many improvements before surrendering possession of the property in 1841. By the time he wrote his book, the Red Sulphur was second only to the White Sulphur in terms of length of the season, overall number of visitors, and the 350 people who could be accommodated at any given time in the hotel and the multiple ranges of beautiful buildings.
Burke said the most noteworthy structure was the Pavilion over the springs. Constructed shortly after his first visit, the pavilion dome was 50 feet above the water level of the springs and was supported by 12 Ionic columns.
The imaginative physician devoted more than a third of the 394 pages of The Mineral Springs of Western Virginia to these springs and explained that the uneven treatment of the different springs was a result of the extraordinary, curative powers of the water at Red Sulphur so that “a more extensive notice than we have given of the other Springs is not only necessary but indispensable to a just estimate of its peculiar action on the human system.”
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Burke’s major focus was the value of Red Sulphur Springs for consumption, but he did not neglect other diseases, including laryngitis, bronchitis, chronic pleurisy, pneumonia, hypertrophy of the heart, kidney and bladder diseases, menstrual disorders, liver diseases, and chronic diarrhea.
The water was believed to be useful in the treatment of tuberculosis. Modern analysis shows the water to be high in bicarbonate, sulfate, and calcium.
The history of Red Sulphur Springs is uncertain before 1800, but it is thought that Indians made use of the spring. The site was acquired around 1800 by Nicholas Harvey. His sons were the first to develop the property in the 1820s by constructing cabins for the use of visitors.
According to an article written by Michael M. Meador in 1833, the property was purchased by Dr. William Burke, who formed a corporation and embarked on an ambitious building campaign. A spring pavilion and several buildings for the accommodation and entertainment of 300 guests were constructed.
The golden age of the Red Sulphur resort came before 1861.
During the Civil War, soldiers from both armies occupied the buildings. Following the war the resort continued operation, and in the 1890s it was purchased by Levi Morton, U.S. vice-president under Benjamin Harrison. Morton upgraded the property and operated the resort successfully until around 1915, when he offered it to the state of West Virginia for use as a tuberculosis sanatorium. He sold the property after his offer was rejected by the state. Around 1920, the buildings were dismantled and the resort ceased operation.
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Top o’ the morning!