MILEPOSTS #1032

By Bill Pumford, Image from Bill Pumford Collection

TITLE: ARROWHEAD SPRINGS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WAR EFFORT – WORLD WAR I: During the two world wars last century the Arrowhead Springs Hotel was called into service as a hospital to treat servicemen who had been wounded. This week’s column will cover World War I and next week World War II. As early as May of 1918 the government was looking to purchase the Arrowhead Springs property to use as a convalescent hospital. The property at that time comprised some 1400 acres. By July of 1918 the Arrowhead Springs Company was offering camping facilities to soldiers who had been gassed during the war because there was a belief that the hot springs would help heal the soldiers (of course, the hot springs were offered as a cure for everything). The resort was eventually leased by the federal government during the summer of 1920 for reportedly $60,000 per year for four years. This became an Army hospital that took care of many soldiers recovering from their wounds. This week’s image is a photo of the third hotel, which was built in 1905 and burned down in 1938. The use of the hotel as a hospital was not without controversy. A few months after opening accusations were reported in the local newspaper that officers and hospital staff were given the better floors and rooms in the hospital while the enlisted ranks were crowded into rooms on the less desirable floors. The hospital was originally designed for 100 beds but by March of 1922 the hospital requested an increase to 200 beds due to higher numbers of wounded soldiers. By May of 1924 there were 130 patients left after all the other patients had transferred to other hospitals. Those veterans remaining did receive a gift of a radio receiving set that helped relieve the monotony of being in a hospital. The Army hospital was transferred back to the Arrowhead Springs Company at the end of June 1924.

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