History

Taiwan has the highest concentration and greatest variety of hot springs in the
world ranging from hot springs to cold springs, mud springs and seabed hot springs.
The hot spring water is crystal clear and safe to drink. Icaria, Greece has radioactive
hot water spring that has been in use since 4th century BC.

Hot Springs History

For more than a hundred years, hot springs in the Rockies have attracted untold
numbers of visitors to their healing waters. There's something very soothing about
soaking in a pool of water heated by the primordial heat of the Earth itself
especially at a time when the health of that Earth itself is in question. Over the past
few years, the future of these facilities has been in question as the debate over their
cost and profits, compared to their historical significance is regularly and routinely
discussed within the higher echelons of parks.
The first white men traveled through the Banff area in 1841. That year, George
Simpson, in charge of North American operations for the Hudson's Bay Company,
passed through as part of a round-the-world journey. He never mentioned anything
about any hot springs. Neither did Reverend Robert T. Rundle who entered the area
shortly thereafter. He is remembered in the name of Banff's most famous peak.
The first non-native discovery of Banffs springs was in 1865 with the arrival in the
Bow Valley of two American fur traders, Benjamin Pease and Peter Younge. Pease
was able to speak Sioux (a language similar to Stoney), and was told of the springs
by local Indians. Development wasn't really an option as the area was still
completely remote with no reasonable access, so the springs remained undisturbed
until the railway chugged its way west. With this, came more and more people. On a
cold morning in November of 1883, three workers, Frank McCabe and William and
Thomas McCardell, noticed steam rising from the side of Terrace (now Sulphur)
Mountain. As they checked out the source of the steam they became the modern
discoverers of the Cave and Basin Hot Springs.
Being good capitalists, they quickly built a small bath-house and filed a homestead
claim. Unfortunately, homesteads weren't recognized in the Rockies. They then tried
a mineral rights claim. Unfortunately again, mineral springs were not considered a
mineral resource. All of this brought the area to the attention of William Pearce, the
mine Superintendent in Calgary. Upon investigating, he was so impressed that he,
along with William Van Horne of the C.P.R., began to agitate for the creation of a
park.
Finally, on November 2, 1885, the Banff Hot Springs Preserve was set aside. It was
only 26 square km, but two years later would be significantly enlarged and renamed
Rocky Mountains Park Canada's first National Park. It was also the third such park
in the world behind only Yellowstone in the U.S. and Royal National Park in Australia.

Like Banffs hot springs, Miette Hot Springs were well known to local natives.
Passing fur traders often soaked in their healing waters. Miners from nearby
Pocohontas who first built a rough trail to the springs in 1910, followed with a small
bath-house three years later. The first pool was built in 1919, but the area remained
remote until a road was completed in 1933.
Radium hot springs, like all the rest, was long known before it was developed. In
fact, it played an integral role in the location of highway 93. This highway was
routed to take it past the springs. Although a tent was erected in 1890, a small pool
was built in 1914. A more permanent structure was built in 1923, after completion
of Highway 93 and the creation of Kootenay National Park.
Today, these parks look very different. With millions of visitors each year making
their way through the gates, the connection these pools provide to our history is
becoming more and more vital. We must ensure that these landmarks will continue
to soothe the aches and pains of travelers for many years to come.

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