Bill and Kristi, ex-Tahoeans who now live in Pacific Grove, have a timeshare at this amazing spot and invited us to play for the day.
Oh man, it was just what we needed.
Between soaking in one of five geothermal spas, relaxing in the steam room or doing laps in the pool, we were very happy tourists in this little oasis in Genoa.
And what history! In 1860, David and Harriet Walley, former New Yorkers, discovered the hot springs and at one point a tent was erected on site and travelers were charged 50 cents for a bath. In 1864, the Walleys received a land grant deed from President Andrew Jackson and construction of the luxurious resort was in full swing. The resort, built around the many thermal pools, had a hotel with 40 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, a livery stable, saloon and wine cellar, a ballroom and beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. A reputed $100,000 was to have been spent on the project, no small amount of money since a good ranch at the time, with 800 acres of land and buildings, could have been valued at $15,000.
Once called a “medicinal springs,” Walley’s was, early on, considered an effective treatment for the cure of rheumatic and scrofulous affectations, not to mention syphilis, dropsy, gout, Bright’s disease of the kidneys, dyspepsia and hundreds more diseases. One writer in 1881 described Walley’s Hot Springs, “The location is extremely pleasant, the scenery grand and the climate in summer invigorating and healthful.”
Mark Twain and Ulysses S. Grant visited the resort during its heyday and many a Comstock miner found a soak in the geothermal waters a brief respite from the grind of underground mining in Virginia City.
How incredible to soak in such history with such great friends!
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1 comments:
I think if I could meet anyone, I would like to meet Mark Twain.
That man got around!
Seems like a great spot to get caught up with old friends!
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