Jump to content

Omni Bedford Springs Resort: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 39°59′47″N 78°30′28″W / 39.99639°N 78.50778°W / 39.99639; -78.50778
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
mNo edit summary
No edit summary
 
(141 intermediate revisions by 86 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Hotel in Pennsylvania, United States}}
{{wikify|July 2006}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Cleanup-date|June 2006}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District
| nrhp_type = nhld
| nocat = yes
| image = PA - Bedford Springs - Beford PA 01.jpg
| caption = Omni Bedford Springs Resort - facade
| location = Off of [[U.S. Route 220|U.S. 220]],<br />[[Bedford, Pennsylvania]]
| coordinates = {{coord|39|59|47|N|78|30|28|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = Pennsylvania#USA
| built = 1806
| architect = Solomon Filler
| architecture = [[Colonial Revival architecture|Colonia Revival]],<br />[[Greek Revival architecture|Greek Revival]],<br />[[Italianate architecture|Italianate]]
| customarchitect_title = Golf course designer
| customarchitect = Spencer Oldham - 1895<br />[[A. W. Tillinghast]] - 1912<br />[[Donald Ross (golfer)|Donald Ross]] - 1923
| designated_nrhp_type = July 17, 1991<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1875&ResourceType=District |title=Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District |access-date=November 11, 2007 |work=National Historic Landmarks Program |publisher=National Park Service |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625090217/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1875&ResourceType=District |archive-date=June 25, 2010 }}</ref>
| added = December 20, 1984
| area = {{convert|300|acre}}
| refnum = 84001413<ref name="nris">{{NRISref |refnum=84001413|version=2010a}}</ref>
| designated_other1_name = Pennsylvania state historical marker
| designated_other1_abbr = PHMC
| designated_other1_date = June 4, 1947<ref name=phmcdatabase>{{cite web | title =PHMC Historical Markers | work =Historical Marker Database | publisher =Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission | url =http://search.pahistoricalmarkers.com/ | access-date =December 10, 2013 | archive-url =https://archive.today/20131207041235/http://search.pahistoricalmarkers.com/ | archive-date =December 7, 2013 | url-status =dead }}</ref>
| designated_other1_link = List of Pennsylvania state historical markers
| designated_other1_color = navy
| designated_other1_textcolor = #ffc94b
| designated_other2 = PHLF
| designated_other2_date = 2014<ref>{{cite book |title=Historic Landmark Plaques 1968–2014 |date=2014 |publisher=Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation |location=Pittsburgh |page=19 |url=https://phlf.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/Plaques-1968-2014.pdf |access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>
}}


The '''Omni Bedford Springs Resort''' is a [[resort]] hotel which is located outside of [[Bedford, Pennsylvania]]. Established in 1806, it is one of the last and best-preserved of 19th-century resort hotels based around mineral springs.
'''Bedford Springs''', a nineteenth-century [[mineral spring]]s resort located just off the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] in [[Bedford, Pennsylvania]], is a large complex of buildings erected throughout the nineteenth century to accommodate the growing popularity of seven mineral springs in close proximity to one another. The multitude of small, freshwater springs, which were believed to have miraculous healing powers, at first attracted those suffering from illnesses, but the popularity of the resort grew quickly due to its location at the foot of the [[Alleghany mountains]] along Shober's Run (sometimes called Shover's Run), and its appealing architecture, which includes Stone House, erected in 1804, the Colonial Building, a monumental, columned revival building constructed in 1842, as well as a long series of porticoed wings built in the Carpenter Gothic style from the 1850s to the 1890s. The popularity of the resort benefitted from the emphasis on outdoor life in the mid-nineteenth century as east coast American cities became increasingly industrialized and polluted, and from the establishment of stops in Bedford for the B&O and Pennsylvania Railroads beginning in 1872, providing easy accessibility from cities such as Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York.


The hotel was documented in 2005 by the [[Historic American Buildings Survey]] (HABS). Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa is a member of [[Historic Hotels of America]], the official program of the [[National Trust for Historic Preservation]].<ref name=hha>{{cite journal|title=Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa, a Historic Hotels of America member|url=http://www.historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/omni-bedford-springs-resort-and-spa/|publisher=Historic Hotels of America|access-date=January 28, 2014}}</ref> The resort is part of the [[Omni Hotels & Resorts]] brand, based out of Dallas, Texas.
Bedford Springs became an attraction for politicians, and, in addition to serving as the "Summer White House" for President Buchanan from 1857 to 1861, also served as a getaway and meeting place for other presidents such as William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor, as well as a multitude of senators and congressmen, and their families. The first [[transatlantic cable]] sent from [[England]] to the [[United States]] was received by President Buchanan at the hotel on August 12, 1858. The hotel's [[golf]] course, began by the golf course architect, A.W. Tillinghast, was completed by another golf great, Donald Ross, in the [[1920s]]. During [[World War II]], the hotel and grounds were used as a [[U.S. Navy]] radio training center, and also as a detention center for interned [[Japan]]ese diplomats.


A portion of the resort property, including the hotel, golf course, and spring areas, was designated a [[National Historic Landmark District]] in 1984.<ref name="nhlsum"/>
The decades of the 1870s through the 1890s, the "golden age" of America's grand resorts, saw the "resort gold standard" set at Bedford Springs. A series of colorful spring houses, bridges, and gates dotted the expansive grounds, and a "serpentine trail" led party excursions from one spring to the next. In the beginning of the 20th century, as medicine and health-awareness advanced, the validity of the Springs' healing powers decreased slightly, but the hotel still flourished, and in 1905, a major renovation of the complex included a monumental double-decked colonnade, which connected the hotel's main dining room to a columned pavilion at the Magnesium Springs across Shober's Run, as well as a new building with a spring-fed indoor pool, purportedly the largest such facility in the United States at the time it was built.


== History ==
In the 1930s, the hotel's resident physician established the "Bedford Cure," a health regimen that required a three-week stay at the resort, which still operated successfully throughout the 1930s and 1940s. In the 1950s, Bedford Springs underwent another substantial renovation, which brought modern infrastructure and amenities into the facilities. In the 1960s and 1970s, following the pattern of most of America's grand resort hotels, Bedford Springs experienced a decline, and, by the mid 1980s, business at the hotel had diminished substantially. In 1992, Bedford Springs was shut down completely.
In 1796, Nicholas Shauffler discovered a high mineral content in the natural freshwater springs located on the property of Fredrick Naugel, outside of [[Bedford, Pennsylvania]]. These springs were reputed to have 'healing powers" by the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] who had come to this spot to drink from and bathe in the waters for centuries. Doctor John Anderson, then practicing in the town of Bedford, purchased the land containing the springs in 1798 and proceeded to build bathing facilities for his patients; thus starting the tradition of people traveling to experience the waters of the Bedford springs and setting the foundation for what is today Bedford Springs Resort, an upscale destination, located just off the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]].


The popularity and reputation of the Dr. Anderson's treatments grew throughout the early 19th Century and by 1809, there were three buildings on the site, including The Stone House, Crockford and a precursor to the Evitt House. According to a travelogue by Joshua Galpin in 1809, these buildings included a "large frame lodging house and several smaller ones for families – warm and cold baths and a billiard room." In 1824, [[Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania|Bedford Springs]] was hailed as the "Montpelier of America" in a column in the July edition of the National Gazette & Library Register, which noted with praise the waters, accommodations, activities, food and wine. The popularity of the resort benefited from the emphasis on outdoor life in the mid-nineteenth century as east coast American cities became increasingly industrialized and polluted, and from the establishment of stops in Bedford for the [[Baltimore and Ohio Railroad|B&O]] and [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]s beginning in 1872, providing easy accessibility from cities such as [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Philadelphia]], and [[New York City]].
==Future of the Resort==
In October 2005, an $87 million dollar restoration project began with re-opening planned for Spring 2007. The hotel buildings currently are being completely restored and renovated, and additional wings are under construction. The new resort will be a 218-room, four-star hotel, resort, spa, and conference facility. The spa wing will accommodate additional rooms and a state-of-the-art, full service spa. The hotel will contain a 130-seat restaurant with two dining ammenities areas along with a magnificently restored colonial-style tavern in the Stone House, with original, massive stone walls and beams dating to 1804.


Bedford Springs became an attraction for [[politician]]s, and, in addition to serving as the "[[Summer White House]]" for President [[James Buchanan]] from 1857 to 1861, also served as a getaway and meeting place for other presidents such as [[William Henry Harrison]], [[James K. Polk]] and [[Zachary Taylor]], as well as a multitude of [[United States Senate|senator]]s and [[United States Congress|congressmen]], and their families. The first [[Transatlantic telegraph cable|transatlantic cable]] sent from England to the United States was received by President Buchanan at the hotel on August 12, 1858.
The revitalized resort will also contain a new outdoor pool, a magnificent restoration of the original, mineral spring-fed indoor pool, and a kids' club. The resort will offer and fully accommodate outdoor life activities including hiking, bicycling (led by Cannondale), cross-country skiing, fly fishing, river rafting, carriage rides, and day excursions to many of Bedford's famous historic sites and beautiful covered bridges.


[[File:Bedford Springs Pennsylvania Hotel from Book of the Royal Blue April 1909 Vol 12 No 07 Page 13.jpg|thumb|right|Bedford Springs Hotel, circa 1909]]
==Golf Course Renovation==
The decades of the 1870s through the 1890s, the "golden age" of America's grand resorts, saw the "resort gold standard" set at Bedford Springs. A series of colorful spring houses, bridges, and gates dotted the expansive grounds, and a "serpentine trail" led party excursions from one spring to the next. In the beginning of the 20th century, as medicine and health-awareness advanced, the validity of the Springs' healing powers decreased slightly, but the hotel still flourished, and in 1905, a major renovation of the complex included a monumental double-decked [[colonnade]], which connected the hotel's main dining room to a columned pavilion at the Magnesia Springs across Shober's Run, as well as a new building with a spring-fed indoor pool, reportedly the first such facility in the United States at the time it was built.


In the 1930s, the hotel's resident physician, [[Dr. William E. Fitch]], established the "Bedford Cure," a health regimen that required a three-week stay at the resort, which still operated successfully throughout the 1930s and 1940s. During [[World War II]], the hotel and its grounds were used by the [[U.S. Navy]] as the Naval Training School (Radio) and then later as a detention center for interned Japanese diplomats.
As part of the revitalization of the resort, an extensive renovation of the Tillinghast/Ross course will be undertaken. This important, historical course had suffered over time from sediment filling in the margins of the waterways, and from “modern” approaches to landscape in the 1950’s, which tried to "tidy-up" the creek edges with a "mown-lawn" approach. The renovation of the course includes a restoration of the natural spring bed with native grasses and other natural materials indigenous to the flood plane. Befitting the course's siting next to Shober's Run creek, there are water features apparent at nearly every hole.


The decade of the 1950s saw numerous improvements and renovations to the property, including the installation of modern environmental controls and sprinkler systems. Bedford Springs was also open year-round for the first time in 1950. The hotel continued to operate for the next three decades, highlighted by then [[California]] Governor [[Ronald Reagan]]'s stay in 1975, making him the seventh current, former or future president to spend time at Bedford Springs. However tastes in leisure travel had changed significantly over the years and the property eventually shut its doors in 1986. Two years later, a flash flood severely damaged several buildings at Bedford Springs and the site fell into disrepair. Even so, the site was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1984. Then in 1998, the property was purchased by Bedford Resort Partners Limited for $8 million and the massive undertaking of restoring Bedford Springs to its former prestige began.

[[File:PA - Bedford Springs - Beford PA 04.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Facade of Omni Bedford Springs Resort.]]

==The springs==
The Bedford Springs were believed to have various and diverse medicinal values due to each spring's unique mix of minerals. The "Bedford Cure" required the patient to imbibe each type of water (or a specific type of water depending on the individual's ailment) on a daily basis during their three-week stay. Examples of the unique springs and their uses are "Magnesium Spring," used for stomach ailments, the "Iron Spring," which was prescribed for iron deficiencies and healthy bones, the "Black Spring" which was used primarily to irrigate the golf course; and the "Sweet Spring" the waters of which were the most palatable. An eighth spring, named the Eternal Spring was discovered in 2006, during the expansion and renovation of the resort.

[[File:Bedford Springs Hotel HABS 1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Historic American Buildings Survey|HABS]] photo of the eastern facade of the hotel in 2005.]]

==The restored resort==
The hotel re-opened for overnight guests on July 12, 2007. The hotel buildings were completely restored and renovated, and additional wings added. In January 2009, the resort was purchased by [[Omni Hotels]], a luxury hotel brand that operates properties across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The restored resort is a 216-room hotel with 4 suites, golf course, spa, and conference facility. The spa wing accommodates additional rooms and a full-service spa. The hotel contains a 130-seat [[restaurant]] along with a fully restored colonial-style tavern in the Stone House, with original, massive stone walls and beams dating to 1806.

The revitalized resort also contains a new outdoor [[swimming pool|pool]] and a complete restoration of the original, mineral spring-fed indoor pool. The resort offers outdoor activities including a network of hiking trails to nearby [[Rainsburg, Pennsylvania|Rainsburg]] and [[Buchanan State Forest]], [[bicycling]], off-road Segway's, UTVs, [[cross-country skiing]], [[fly fishing]], [[rafting|river rafting]], carriage rides and day excursions to many of Bedford's famous historic sites and beautiful [[covered bridge]]s.

==Golf course==
The resort's [[golf]] course was originally designed by Spencer Oldham in 1895 and is one of the oldest courses in the United States. In 1901, head professional [[Charles Thorn (golfer)|Charles Thorn]] worked to improve the course by rebuilding greens and tee boxes and installing an irrigation system using the natural [[Spring (hydrology)|spring]]s found in the area as a water source.<ref name="Bedford Springs">{{cite news |title=Bedford Springs – Pennsylvania's Famous Resort Under New Management |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19010519&id=WAUbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kkgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4335,7658108&hl=en |access-date=June 8, 2015 |newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press |date=May 19, 1901}}</ref><ref name=Beford>{{cite news |title=The Bedford Springs Hotel |url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1901-06-09/ed-1/seq-31/#date1=1836&index=3&rows=20&words=Charles+golfing+Thorn&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=Charles+Thorn+golf&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 |access-date=June 8, 2015 |newspaper=New York Daily Tribune |date=June 9, 1901}}</ref>

In 1912, [[A.W. Tillinghast]] redesigned the course bringing it down to 9 holes. In 1923, [[Donald Ross (golfer)|Donald Ross]] redesigned the course again and brought it back to 18 holes. During the resorts extensive restoration, the golf course was brought back to the design that Donald Ross created in 1923.

As part of the resorts relaunch, an extensive renovation of the Tillinghast/Ross course was undertaken. The historical course had suffered over time from [[sediment]] filling in the margins of the waterways, and from "modern" approaches to landscape in the 1950s, which tried to "tidy-up" the creek edges with a "mown-lawn" approach. The renovation of the course, renamed the Bedford Springs Old Course, restored the natural spring bed with native grasses and other natural materials indigenous to the flood plain. Befitting the course's siting next to Shober's Run, there are water features apparent at nearly every hole.

==The spa==
Fed by the recently discovered eighth spring, the Springs Eternal Spa is a {{convert|30000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} spa and salon that pays homage to what has historically made Bedford Springs such an alluring destination. The spa's signature treatment, called The Bedford Baths, is a ritual of immersing the body alternatively in hot and cool pools and soaking in herb-infused steam from the mineral-rich springs.

==See also==
{{Portal|Hotels}}
* [[List of Historic Hotels of America]]
* [[List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Bedford County, Pennsylvania]]

==References==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |first=William P |last=Schnell |title=The Annals of Bedford County, Pennsylvania consisting of condensed sketches of the most important events which occurred during the century from January 1750 to 1850: prepared for Old Home Week, August 4-10 1907 |location=[[Bedford, Pennsylvania|Bedford, PA]] |year=1907 |publisher=Gazette Publishing Company}}
* {{cite book |first=William |last=Defibaugh |title=The First Days of Bedford Springs |location=Bedford, PA |year=2004 |publisher=WLD Productions}}
* {{cite journal |title=Journey to Bethlehem |journal=Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography |volume=XLVI |year=1922 |pages=15&ndash;38, 122&ndash;153}}
* {{cite news |last=Loeffler |first=William |date=September 30, 2007 |title=Bedford Springs Resort returns to its roots |work=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]] |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/living/travel/s_530076.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070519153114/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/living/travel/s_530076.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2007 |access-date=October 15, 2007 }}
* {{cite news |last=Pitz |first=Marylynne |date=June 17, 2007 |title=Bedford Springs is bubbling |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07168/794192-37.stm |access-date=October 15, 2007}}
{{Refend}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Bedford Springs Hotel}}
* http://www.bedfordcounty.net/springs/index.htm
* [https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/bedford-springs Omni Bedford Springs Resort]
* http://www.bedfordspringsresort.com
* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.pa4048 Photographs of the Bedford Springs Hotel] ([[Library of Congress]]/HABS)

{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Hotels in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1806]]
[[Category:Resorts in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Golf clubs and courses designed by A. W. Tillinghast]]
[[Category:Golf clubs and courses designed by Donald Ross]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Bedford County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Bedford County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Bedford County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Historic Hotels of America]]

Latest revision as of 00:00, 22 February 2024

Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District
Omni Bedford Springs Resort - facade
Omni Bedford Springs Resort is located in Pennsylvania
Omni Bedford Springs Resort
Omni Bedford Springs Resort is located in the United States
Omni Bedford Springs Resort
LocationOff of U.S. 220,
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Coordinates39°59′47″N 78°30′28″W / 39.99639°N 78.50778°W / 39.99639; -78.50778
Area300 acres (120 ha)
Built1806
ArchitectSolomon Filler
Golf course designerSpencer Oldham - 1895
A. W. Tillinghast - 1912
Donald Ross - 1923
Architectural styleColonia Revival,
Greek Revival,
Italianate
NRHP reference No.84001413[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPDecember 20, 1984
Designated NHLDJuly 17, 1991[4]
Designated PHMCJune 4, 1947[2]
Designated PHLF2014[3]

The Omni Bedford Springs Resort is a resort hotel which is located outside of Bedford, Pennsylvania. Established in 1806, it is one of the last and best-preserved of 19th-century resort hotels based around mineral springs.

The hotel was documented in 2005 by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS). Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.[5] The resort is part of the Omni Hotels & Resorts brand, based out of Dallas, Texas.

A portion of the resort property, including the hotel, golf course, and spring areas, was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1984.[4]

History

[edit]

In 1796, Nicholas Shauffler discovered a high mineral content in the natural freshwater springs located on the property of Fredrick Naugel, outside of Bedford, Pennsylvania. These springs were reputed to have 'healing powers" by the Native Americans who had come to this spot to drink from and bathe in the waters for centuries. Doctor John Anderson, then practicing in the town of Bedford, purchased the land containing the springs in 1798 and proceeded to build bathing facilities for his patients; thus starting the tradition of people traveling to experience the waters of the Bedford springs and setting the foundation for what is today Bedford Springs Resort, an upscale destination, located just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

The popularity and reputation of the Dr. Anderson's treatments grew throughout the early 19th Century and by 1809, there were three buildings on the site, including The Stone House, Crockford and a precursor to the Evitt House. According to a travelogue by Joshua Galpin in 1809, these buildings included a "large frame lodging house and several smaller ones for families – warm and cold baths and a billiard room." In 1824, Bedford Springs was hailed as the "Montpelier of America" in a column in the July edition of the National Gazette & Library Register, which noted with praise the waters, accommodations, activities, food and wine. The popularity of the resort benefited from the emphasis on outdoor life in the mid-nineteenth century as east coast American cities became increasingly industrialized and polluted, and from the establishment of stops in Bedford for the B&O and Pennsylvania Railroads beginning in 1872, providing easy accessibility from cities such as Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City.

Bedford Springs became an attraction for politicians, and, in addition to serving as the "Summer White House" for President James Buchanan from 1857 to 1861, also served as a getaway and meeting place for other presidents such as William Henry Harrison, James K. Polk and Zachary Taylor, as well as a multitude of senators and congressmen, and their families. The first transatlantic cable sent from England to the United States was received by President Buchanan at the hotel on August 12, 1858.

Bedford Springs Hotel, circa 1909

The decades of the 1870s through the 1890s, the "golden age" of America's grand resorts, saw the "resort gold standard" set at Bedford Springs. A series of colorful spring houses, bridges, and gates dotted the expansive grounds, and a "serpentine trail" led party excursions from one spring to the next. In the beginning of the 20th century, as medicine and health-awareness advanced, the validity of the Springs' healing powers decreased slightly, but the hotel still flourished, and in 1905, a major renovation of the complex included a monumental double-decked colonnade, which connected the hotel's main dining room to a columned pavilion at the Magnesia Springs across Shober's Run, as well as a new building with a spring-fed indoor pool, reportedly the first such facility in the United States at the time it was built.

In the 1930s, the hotel's resident physician, Dr. William E. Fitch, established the "Bedford Cure," a health regimen that required a three-week stay at the resort, which still operated successfully throughout the 1930s and 1940s. During World War II, the hotel and its grounds were used by the U.S. Navy as the Naval Training School (Radio) and then later as a detention center for interned Japanese diplomats.

The decade of the 1950s saw numerous improvements and renovations to the property, including the installation of modern environmental controls and sprinkler systems. Bedford Springs was also open year-round for the first time in 1950. The hotel continued to operate for the next three decades, highlighted by then California Governor Ronald Reagan's stay in 1975, making him the seventh current, former or future president to spend time at Bedford Springs. However tastes in leisure travel had changed significantly over the years and the property eventually shut its doors in 1986. Two years later, a flash flood severely damaged several buildings at Bedford Springs and the site fell into disrepair. Even so, the site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Then in 1998, the property was purchased by Bedford Resort Partners Limited for $8 million and the massive undertaking of restoring Bedford Springs to its former prestige began.

Facade of Omni Bedford Springs Resort.

The springs

[edit]

The Bedford Springs were believed to have various and diverse medicinal values due to each spring's unique mix of minerals. The "Bedford Cure" required the patient to imbibe each type of water (or a specific type of water depending on the individual's ailment) on a daily basis during their three-week stay. Examples of the unique springs and their uses are "Magnesium Spring," used for stomach ailments, the "Iron Spring," which was prescribed for iron deficiencies and healthy bones, the "Black Spring" which was used primarily to irrigate the golf course; and the "Sweet Spring" the waters of which were the most palatable. An eighth spring, named the Eternal Spring was discovered in 2006, during the expansion and renovation of the resort.

HABS photo of the eastern facade of the hotel in 2005.

The restored resort

[edit]

The hotel re-opened for overnight guests on July 12, 2007. The hotel buildings were completely restored and renovated, and additional wings added. In January 2009, the resort was purchased by Omni Hotels, a luxury hotel brand that operates properties across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The restored resort is a 216-room hotel with 4 suites, golf course, spa, and conference facility. The spa wing accommodates additional rooms and a full-service spa. The hotel contains a 130-seat restaurant along with a fully restored colonial-style tavern in the Stone House, with original, massive stone walls and beams dating to 1806.

The revitalized resort also contains a new outdoor pool and a complete restoration of the original, mineral spring-fed indoor pool. The resort offers outdoor activities including a network of hiking trails to nearby Rainsburg and Buchanan State Forest, bicycling, off-road Segway's, UTVs, cross-country skiing, fly fishing, river rafting, carriage rides and day excursions to many of Bedford's famous historic sites and beautiful covered bridges.

Golf course

[edit]

The resort's golf course was originally designed by Spencer Oldham in 1895 and is one of the oldest courses in the United States. In 1901, head professional Charles Thorn worked to improve the course by rebuilding greens and tee boxes and installing an irrigation system using the natural springs found in the area as a water source.[6][7]

In 1912, A.W. Tillinghast redesigned the course bringing it down to 9 holes. In 1923, Donald Ross redesigned the course again and brought it back to 18 holes. During the resorts extensive restoration, the golf course was brought back to the design that Donald Ross created in 1923.

As part of the resorts relaunch, an extensive renovation of the Tillinghast/Ross course was undertaken. The historical course had suffered over time from sediment filling in the margins of the waterways, and from "modern" approaches to landscape in the 1950s, which tried to "tidy-up" the creek edges with a "mown-lawn" approach. The renovation of the course, renamed the Bedford Springs Old Course, restored the natural spring bed with native grasses and other natural materials indigenous to the flood plain. Befitting the course's siting next to Shober's Run, there are water features apparent at nearly every hole.

The spa

[edit]

Fed by the recently discovered eighth spring, the Springs Eternal Spa is a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) spa and salon that pays homage to what has historically made Bedford Springs such an alluring destination. The spa's signature treatment, called The Bedford Baths, is a ritual of immersing the body alternatively in hot and cool pools and soaking in herb-infused steam from the mineral-rich springs.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ "National Register Information System – (#84001413)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "PHMC Historical Markers". Historical Marker Database. Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  3. ^ Historic Landmark Plaques 1968–2014 (PDF). Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2014. p. 19. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District". National Historic Landmarks Program. National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 25, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2007.
  5. ^ "Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa, a Historic Hotels of America member". Historic Hotels of America. Retrieved January 28, 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ "Bedford Springs – Pennsylvania's Famous Resort Under New Management". The Pittsburgh Press. May 19, 1901. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  7. ^ "The Bedford Springs Hotel". New York Daily Tribune. June 9, 1901. Retrieved June 8, 2015.

Sources

[edit]
  • Schnell, William P (1907). The Annals of Bedford County, Pennsylvania consisting of condensed sketches of the most important events which occurred during the century from January 1750 to 1850: prepared for Old Home Week, August 4-10 1907. Bedford, PA: Gazette Publishing Company.
  • Defibaugh, William (2004). The First Days of Bedford Springs. Bedford, PA: WLD Productions.
  • "Journey to Bethlehem". Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. XLVI: 15–38, 122–153. 1922.
  • Loeffler, William (September 30, 2007). "Bedford Springs Resort returns to its roots". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on May 19, 2007. Retrieved October 15, 2007.
  • Pitz, Marylynne (June 17, 2007). "Bedford Springs is bubbling". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 15, 2007.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bedford Springs Hotel.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Omni_Bedford_Springs_Resort&oldid=1209450607"