Maurice Bathhouse

Then & Now

Black and white photograph of the Maurice from 1912.

Left image
The Maurice Bathhouse, 1912.
Credit: NPS Photo/HOSP Archives

Right image
Maurice Bathhouse, 2020.
Credit: NPS Photo

color photo of the Maurice from the north front side. It is a three story white stucco building of the California Modern style with large arched plate glass windows on all sides of the enclosed porch. Center of the roof you can see the skylight cover peaking over the top of the green tiled roof. — The massive Maurice Bathhouse was a close rival of the luxurious Fordyce.
NPS photo

Today

The Maurice Bathhouse is the only unoccupied historic bathhouse remaining on Bathhouse Row and will soon become available for commercial leasing.

Bathhouse History

The Maurice Bathhouse first opened on January 1, 1912 to replace an existing Victorian-style building. The previous bathhouse had been known as the Independent before being renamed after previous owner Charles Maurice. With a total floor space of 23,000 square feet, the three-story bathhouse had ample room for a complete range of services and amenities, including a gymnasium, staterooms, a roof garden, and twin elevators. In the 1930s, a therapeutic pool was installed in the basement for the treatment of arthritis and polio. It was the only bathhouse on the Row to have a pool. During its six decades in the operation, over 2.5 million therapeutic baths were provided. The Maurice was the second bathhouse to close on Bathhouse Row, shutting its doors in November 1974.

Wood paneled room with bright sky lights, billiard table, chairs, and handpainted frieze — This 1916 postcard shows the design of the Roycroft Den, which was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century.
NPS

Architecture & Design

Designed by architect George Gleim, Jr., of New York City, the Maurice Bathhouse was the first bathhouse fully modernized bathhouse in Hot Springs, incorporating the most state of the art heating, plumbing, and ventilation of the day. The building design is an eclectic combination of Italian Renaissance Revival and Mediterranean styles. The interior boasted a lobby lined with gilded oak pilasters and large stained glass skylights throughout the building. The new building boasted a capacity for 650 bathers-a-day.

In 1915, Maurice hired architects George Mann and Eugene Stern to renovate the bathhouse. The remodel included the "Roycroft Den" named in honor of Elbert Hubbard, Maurice's friend as well as the founder of the Roycrofters craftsman design studio. The Craftsman style den included a stone hearth, an ornate stained glass ceiling, plaster features, and a handpainted frieze. The den was converted to a gymnasium in the 1930s as the Arts and Crafts movement faded in popularity.