1865 – 1899 ~ Victorian Revival of Fashionable Spa

Cottages are built and the railroad comes to town. Social life of a summer spa resort blooms including parties at Berkeley Castle and end-of-season balls. De Ford Tannery, and its odor, completes with resort life.

1865 — Lincoln cabinet members build summer cottages in Berkeley Springs.

1876 — Improvements to the baths. Hotel business picks up; advertise in Washington.

1881 — Additional land purchased for park including Washington Elm.

1885 — Colonel Samuel Suit begins work on Berkeley Castle for his bride Rosa Pelham. Soon a widow, her parties define spa social life.

1887 — Henry Harrison Hunter, local inventor and bathkeeper designs and builds new bathhouses.

1888 — Railroad spur comes into Berkeley Springs at north end.

1892 — Berkeley Springs Water Works uses springs to provide central water system for town residents.

1897 — Final end-of-seaon ball.

1898 — Berkeley Springs Hotel burns. Spa business suffers.

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