P a g e 2 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r icans commercialized this phenomenon of “taking the cure” throughout the eastern United States. Claims were made about these “curative waters” that touted an array of medicinal values that would purportedly benefit a wide variety of ailments, including those of the kidney, bladder, liver, stomach, skin, and nervous diseases. By 1850 resorts such as Saratoga Springs, New York, White Sulfur Springs and Hot Springs in Virginia, and Hot Springs, Arkansas had become celebrated social and cultural “hot spots” for the affluent crowd. Commercial spa development continued to spread and expanded into the West with construction of the trans-continental railroads in the early 1870-80s. Convenient travel to and around Montana became a reality in the mid-1880s and early hot spring developers began courting both the rich and the not-so-famous. Hot spring resorts bubbled up across the state and hot spring spas such as Boulder, Alhambra, Norris, Bozeman (Ferris), and the Broadwater became popular destinations where pleasure-seekers could enjoy the recuperative properties and mingle with society. By the late 1890s, Park County, Montana enjoyed the benefits of two hot spring spas – Hunter’s Hot Springs and Chico Hot Springs, originally Emigrant Warm Springs. Around that time Julius LaDuke pioneered a third resort, LaDuke Hot Springs, which slowly developed just south of what is now Corwin Springs. Located about seven miles north of Gardiner, Montana along the Yellowstone River and Hwy 89, LaDuke Hot Springs still bubble forth just east of the highway and the 145-degree waters flow under the road before merging with the Yellowstone River. Today, an observant traveler may notice the few remaining vestiges of this early resort – crumbling concrete boxes mostly buried alongside the road, covered with boards where wafting plumes of steam emanate through the cracks. Broken blocks of the hotel’s concrete foundations lie amongst the riprap at river’s edge. Just over a hundred years ago a much different scene presented itself. There was no highway or road on the east side of the Yellowstone River, and LaDuke Hot Springs was a popular, albeit short-lived resort community. A simple, two-story board hotel with perhaps a dozen rooms graced the grounds, along with a plunge, soaking tubs, a house, and assorted outbuildings. The concrete boxes collected the hot spring water and diverted it to holding tanks that stored and cooled the water to a comfortable temperature prior to being released into the soaking pools. The only road was on the opposite side of the Yellowstone River and guests accessed the facilities by boat, or in later years via a swinging bridge. According to “Taking the Waters” at LaDuke Hot Springs Resort, by Benjamin and Athna May Porter, Julius J. LaDuke, also known as Jules, was born in Beauharnois, Quebec, Canada in 1842. Born as LeDuc,
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