Hot Springs National Park

In 1992, I interviewed for two positions with Heifer Project International. When I was in Arkansas for the  interview, I visited Hot Springs National Park and Lake Ouachita State Park with one of the other interviewees.

Oldest federally protected area

47 thermal springs

Hot Springs "National Park" was established before national parks were a thing. It predates Yellowstone by 40 years, though it wasn't officially declared a national park until 1921. Hot Springs National Park has 47 thermal springs. Its entire Bathhouse row is designated as a National Historic Landmark. Many of the buildings are examples of Gilded Age architecture. 

National Historic Monument

Bathhouse Row

Quapaw Baths, c. 1922

Ozark Bathhouse, c. 1922

Gym inside one of the bathhouses

Army-Navy Hospital, c. 1887

Street performers in Hot Springs

Ouachita State Park wasn't far from Hot Springs, about 10 miles. We stopped by. Lake Ouachita is the largest manmade lake in Arkansas. The lakeshore was picturesque.

Lake shore

c. 1948 to 1953

My fellow traveler and interviewee

I was offered one of the Heifer Project positions, but I declined. It didn't pay enough, especially to relocate to Arkansas. It also required the kind of travel (regional, around Arkansas) I wasn't interested in. I went through a phase where I applied for a fair number of jobs. I didn't see a long-term career with the University of Maryland, but I was wrong.

-----------------------------------
Post created 01 June 2026

------------------------------------