Crescent Bath House

Before the bathhouse was built, women used to gather at the hot springs on Mondays to do their laundry. They would hang their clothing on plants to allow them to dry. Once constructed, the Crescent Bath House would draw visitors from miles away. The rich and famous, including former President Grover Cleveland, once bathed in the healing waters of Elsinore's most well-known landmark. Around the 1950's the bath house became an antique store called "The Chimes."

This is the old bathhouse that still stands today on the corner of Spring and Graham, directly across the street from the Arco station. This view is from the Chamber of Commerce building lot, formerly the train depot. The Crescent Bath House was designed by Frank Ferris and constructed with funds from Franklin Heald in 1887.

This picture of the Crescent Bathhouse was obviously taken a little after the above picture since you can see a new insurance building located to the left. People believed the natural hot springs, which fed the baths of this tourist attraction, had power to heal a variety of maladies (sicknesses.) In 1977 this building was declared an historical landmark in the state of California.

Crescent Bath House Today

Today, the bath house is a boutique owned by Helen Gross and her husband Dan. A small museum opened in the Home Interiors of Mrs. 144 in June of 2006. The baths will reopen with bubbling mineral water pumped into the tubs sometime in late 2006. For more information, call 951-674-3456.