Distinctly Montana Magazine

46 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 ty-foot-high mass of granite boulders, toboggan slides, observa- tion decks and waterfalls. With its masterful Moorish Spanish architecture, Broadwater Hot Springs looked more like a palace than a resort. It was a crown jewel of the state, one that attracted the upper class from all over the Unit- ed States and the world. According to photographs from the early days of Broadwater, guests dressed more like they were headed to a suite at the Kentucky Derby than for a soak. Another explanation for the fashionable dress is that the Broadwater Hotel and Natatorium also served as a social hub, known for dancing and gambling. It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it was. Just three years after the grand opening of the Broadwater Hotel and Natatorium, Colonel Broadwater died of influenza, and his passion palace was rudderless without him. Broadwater was open on and off from the 1890s until 1935, when the facility was ravaged by an earthquake. The building was later demolished in the 1970s. Today, in place of what once was a symbol of Helena's splen- dor, there lies a full-service athletic club. The Broadwater Ath- letic Club and Hot Springs officially opened its doors in 1979 and has since undergone many renovations. In 2015, new own- ership renamed the once-swanky resort Broadwater Hot Springs & Fitness and transformed it to its current state, which features a free-form pool and soaker pool set between 97 and 102 degrees (the latter of which pays tribute to the original waterfall design), a recreation pool set between 89 and 93 degrees and hot tubs averaging between 101 and 104 degrees. The venue also features a taproom and grill, an elaborate exercise room (plus wet and dry saunas) and a stage that hosts acoustic acts on Thursday nights. Broadwater Hot Springs & Fitness may not be exactly what the Colonel had in mind, but the new structure and new look contin- ue in the tradition he started of celebrating the medicinal prop- erties of the magical Ten-Mile waters. FAIRMONT HOT SPRINGS RESORT Nestled between Anaconda and Butte sits Fairmont Hot Springs, a site originally discovered by the Flathead, Nez Perce and Shoshone tribes. The 12 hot mineral pools were dubbed "Medicine Waters," a term still used to describe the healing abil- ity of the natural springs. In 1869, brothers George and Eli Gregson turned these pools into a resort known as Gregson Hot Springs, which included a hotel, a plunge bath and five individual bathhouses. Although the original structure burned down in 1914, the Gregsons laid the foundation for what would eventually become today's Fairmont Hot Springs. Free Events Leading Up to the Festival Juried Art Show • Adult Run • Chalk on the Walk Music on Main • Children's Run • Parade The Festival at Lindley Park Music • Craft Beer Garden • Food • Artist Marketplace Dance • Children's Activities • Theater • Sunday Brunch For performer updates, on-sale dates and more, visit us online at sweetpeafestival.org Find us on social media @sweetpeafestival B E S T O F M O N TA N A B M D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A ' S 2023 NOMINATE THEM FOR OUR WIN $ 1,000 IN CASH! FOR YOUR CHANCE TO BEST OF MONTANA CONTEST! MONTANA BUSINESSES HELP YOUR FAVORITE www.distinctlymontana.com/bom2023

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