Well hello there! For weeks now I’ve been saving these photos for a special day, or more so for when I actually had a bit of time to write out the stories and memories I had planned to share along with them. The Buckhorn Baths have been a staple in my hometown since the late 1930’s, and I grew up driving by this giant sign and unique motel time and time again. I actually didn’t think to share it’s story until my sweet friend, Dawn, came to visit from Oregon and shared that she had shot a rad couple in the front of this historical sign. Seeing a peek of her gorgeous photos was all I needed to get my butt down to the baths!
The story of the Buckhorn Baths Motel goes like this — in the mid-1930’s, Ted and Alice Sliger built their home along the main street of town on this piece of land, later opening a gas station and store, which included a display of Ted’s unique taxidermy collection of Arizona wildlife. In 1939, Ted discovered an unknown hot spring reservoir on their land, that produced 127 degree water, and would soon open it up to the public. In the late 1940’s The New York Giants (now the San Francisco Giants) came to the Valley to utilize the Baths during their spring training (which resulted in the Cactus League soon being formed in the area). For the next 50+ years, the Baths saw everyone from baseball players to movie stars, road tripping families and everyone in-between until the day it closed in 1999. Today, the only guests it houses are those from the other side (seriously, this place is haunted!), and the state is working hard to preserve this historical place!
Now, I’m not going to lie — this place is creepy! Scott and I parked across the street and took photos in front of the sign as the sun was setting and loads of cars were passing us by, many slowing down to see what we were doing. We also did a bit of venturing around the property to see what else was around — the now closed office (where we could definitely see a tiny bit of Ted’s taxidermy collection), signs that led to the springs – which I hear are now dried up, along with a few casita style buildings in the back that appeared to not be vacant and may be separate from the motel now. Scott and I snapped a few photos around the other parts of the motel, which I think I’ll be sharing in a separate post soon! For now, though, see a peek of the casitas here!
The sun was a bit harsh the day we went to the Baths, so I decided to have a bit of fun with editing these photos — something different, but I’m really digging these glowy hues!
My forever adventure buddy wearing his American Football t-shirt! Still can’t believe we finally got to see them last month! Their music will always hold a special place in my heart!
Just imagine me singing — “Sha sha shakin’, sha shakin'” a la Rooney, haha!
Madewell Bandana
Madewell Embroidered Tunic (on sale!) Cheyenne Boots c/o Cat Footwear
If you’re local or have ever driven through this part of town on a road trip, have you stopped at the Buckhorn Baths Motel before? Did you ever get a chance to peek in here when it was still open? I’m really hoping that one day they’ll restore it and open it back up in it’s full glory! On a side note, I loved getting to share this fun story — kind of like in the old days when I would shared stories and landmarks from around the area. My love for Arizona is strong, and it’s fun to get to share that passion here! Thanks for listening, sweet friends! I hope ya’ll are having a great week, and I’ll be back soon!
-Chelsea xo