Nearly 300 years of colorful history marked by cycles of fame and notoriety have been generated for Berkeley Springs by the natural wonder of the warm mineral springs flowing in the heart of town. Formed in 1776, the town may be the only one in America established for the express purpose of caring for, feeding, and housing those who came to take the waters for their health. Bathhouses and hotels shared the landscape with mines, tanneries, and farms. A cast of characters"including presidents, industrialists, and other notables"came to bathe, own land, and enjoy the hospitality of hoteliers, bath keepers, and shop owners. Berkeley Springs reigns as the countrys first spa.