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w w w. d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m
In the Roaring Twen-
ties, Gregson Hot
Springs was a sight to
behold. Referenced in
the Anaconda Stan-
dard as a "the Sarato-
ga of the Northwest"
(a historic New York
retreat famous for its
horse racing), Greg-
son Hot Springs' ap-
pearance was that of a Mission Revival-style hotel with a 65-by-
195-foot warm-water plunge, a cold-water pool, slides, chutes,
springboards and high-dives. It also featured a maple dance floor
and played host to many large community gatherings.
Like Broadwater Hot Springs, owners past and present have
emphasized the healing qualities of the water, praising them for
treating rheumatism, arthritis and other ailments.
The building has gone through many change—and multi-
ple owners—but the community-minded mentality and fam-
ily-friendly atmosphere has never vanished. In the 1970s the
modern image known today as Fairmont Hot Springs started to
come into fruition, largely thanks to federal funding during Trea-
sure State Industries' ownership. This funding led to an 18-hole
golf course, tennis courts,
a picnic area, an outdoor
pool and 190 guest rooms.
Old buildings were de-
molished in 1972 to make
way for this grandiose ex-
pansion.
At this same time,
Lloyd Wilder of Fairmont Hot
Springs, British Columbia, pur-
chased the resort. His family-friendly
vision has remained at the forefront of
the resort, and is present in the additions
made since, such as the waterslide and minia-
ture golf, which children love. Adults enjoy the
full-service restaurant, the bar and some of the
largest natural hot-water pools in the state. It's
also become one of Montana's most popular
conference locations. There are four pools:
two indoor (one averaging between 100 and
104 degrees and one averaging around 88 to
94 degrees) and two outdoor (one hot and
one cooler, with temperatures similar to
the indoor pools).
