The Famous Original Black Water Baths
Alden, NY: The Famous Original Black Water Baths, 1915. The town of Alden in New York became famous in 1891 due to the discovery of black mineral water, more often referred to as black water, a thick, rotten egg smelling water with supposed healing properties. This booklet is advertising for the "Famous Original Black Water Baths" and its opening of our their new modern bath house. This new bath house was "thoroughly equipped with every convenience for the treatment and comfort of our patients." In addition to the baths themselves it had: sun parlors, sanitary drinking foundations, heated swimming pool, billiard room, tennis courts, steam and electricity. The booklet describes the town of Alden, Old Faithful (the original well used to drill for the black water), a description of the facilities, a scientific analysis of the black water (which was mostly chlorine, bromide and sulfuric acid), description of the care and food received there, expenses (both of your stay and price of bottle black water for at home use), and their hours of operation. They claimed that the black water helped mostly with rheumatic cases, and was "good for the stomach", liver and kidney issues, (unnamed) skin diseases, and nervousness. Apparently it was a "common occurrence to see people arrive in Alden on crutches, in wheel chairs, and on cots, and within a few days walk from the bath house to their boarding houses." The water itself was so heavy that one would "float like a cork" while taking a bath in it and the water left the "pores of the skin filled with pure salt". Interesting, unlike other bathhouses of the era that used a more traditional mineral water, patients here were required to bring their own sheets and towels. The booklet includes twenty-two (22) black and white printed photographs of the bath house, its grounds and the town of Alden. Additionally there are two printed maps, one a map of Buffalo, Alden and surrounding towns, and the second, is a larger map of western New York detailing its paved highways. The front cover has a colorized photograph ?? of the bath house itself. The resort had originally opened in a much smaller bath house in 1904. Operation continued in their new bathhouse until 1964 when it closed and the building itself was converted into a church. Printer: Ashby Printing Company. Staple binding. 20 pages. Measures 8"x 4" General wear. Small water stain through all pages on bottom right.
Price: $125.00
Item #20202991