Washington Heritage Trail
Berkeley Springs (Town of Bath), WV

The Town of Bath was established in 1776 but had been a favorite of Native Americans and colonialists well before then. For hundreds of years people have been attracted to the natural springs that emanate from the side of Warm Springs Ridge at 2000 gallons per minute, providing warm water that is a constant 74 degrees. George Washington, on one of his surveying expeditions, waited out a flood here and returned at least a dozen times to "take the waters" and enjoy the scenery.

Today, the waters can still be taken to at Berkeley Springs State Park, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and includes a number of historic structures related to the springs. The nearby Museum of the Berkeley Springs exhibits artifacts from and describes the history and geology of the region. The town that developed around the springs became a spa resort, and the large stone house known as Berkeley Castle, which sits on top of Warm Springs Ridge, is testimony to the inflow of visitors' wealth.