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El Dorado Springs’ Hallmark of History

In the spring of 1882, a new hotel opened for business in El Dorado Springs.  It was constructed on Spring Street, across from the Park, and called The Palace.  Built in the style and grandeur necessary to house and entertain the very increasing numbers that came to take the water, in this now famous spa resort community, it was often visited by horse drawn cabs, bringing from the train, well attired gentleman and ladies.  They came for their health and to socialize.  They played tennis and croquet; they enjoyed the bath houses and the evening band concerts.  El Dorado Springs, before the turn-of-the-century, was a place to see, and to be seen.  And one of the better places to accomplish this was at The Palace Hotel.  

Shortly after The Palace opened, however, it was renamed Commercial Hotel and is probably remembered more by that name than the original.  Visitors were especially fond of the Commercial Hotel because they could sit on the second story balcony and enjoy events taking place in the Park.  Many social events of the early 1900’s took place in the dining room of the Commercial Hotel.  For example, a large farewell gala was given there when Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Jennings (Cora Dryer) left the community to live in Montana.  In 1913, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Pettibon came by train to spend their honeymoon in the famed Commercial Hotel.  

In 1924, Mrs. W. H. Anthony had the Commercial Hotel extensively remodeled and renamed the building the Wayside Inn.  The Wayside Inn offered delicious meals in a spacious dining area and hosted many banquets, dances, teas and other receptions including graduation parties and proms.  

With the advent of modern views and passing of health spas the Wayside Inn, like so many of the grand hotels, became less and less popular and finally closed.  The building was made into a rooming house for a period of time until that too was given up.  

In 1984, Preserve Our Past Society, Inc., (POPS), an organization made up of citizens who wished to see the glorious past of their community remembered and celebrated, bought the Wayside Inn for a museum to house memorabilia collected from the area.  

The Wayside Inn Museum is composed of ten rooms and two halls of historical displays.  On the downstairs level, there is a display case in the entry room that holds small souvenirs from the 1890’s and early 1900’s, which merchants of El Dorado Springs, during those years, gave to their customers.  These pieces were made in Germany and depict scenes from early El Dorado Springs.  There is a pair of very small glass mugs that were given by local saloon keepers.  Due to the fact that there were several saloons in the early days, these are much prized by collectors.  

In the main lobby, period dressed mannequins flank the original fireplace and there are several fine pieces of furniture depicting the era of the late 1880’s and early 1890’s.  A carved cedar ship was donated by Dallas Dale.  During the depression, the settler couldn’t find work so he took native cedar and carved ships to trade to merchants for gas and food for his family. The one displayed is from a filling station where he traded for gas worth $2.50.  The station was owned by Dallas Dale’s grandfather.  

The kitchen contains many items from the pioneer days to the present.   A bent hickory twig chair stands as a good example of the craftsmanship of the early settlers.  An 1880’s icebox, used only by some of the wealthier families, is on display along with wood cook stoves, churns, jars, plates, lye soap and other culinary items.  

Upstairs, the loom room features a large loom made by a family member of Mrs. Lucy Caudell.  Many housewives used rugs and carpets made on this loom.  A small loom made of cherry wood dates back to 1870 and came to the museum through a student in honor of Hazel Baumgarner, one of his El Dorado Springs teachers.  The display of coverlets in the loom room is unique and exceptional.  Some of the patterns date back to the 1600’s.  A recent visitor from North Carolina stated that this exhibit was one of the finest she had ever seen.  

Two bedrooms are displayed upstairs.  One is an adult room with mannequins dressed in costumes dating from the Civil War.  The bed covers are hand made and show exquisite craftsmanship.  The commode in the room is from the Cruce Mansion.  The bed displayed in that room was once only accessible from a ladder.  It was modernized by shortening the legs.  An 1890’s water closet is just off the bedroom.  

The other bedroom is that of a child’s with antique dolls and an old pram.  An unusual toddler bed is the focus of this room and several old toys.  

The school room is opposite the child’s room and is typical of a one room rural school around the turn-of-the-century.  The teacher’s desk was used in Coal Hill School as early as 1896 by Miss Emma Lusk.  The blackboard is real slate from the West Union School.  The cups, desks and stoves are from the Graham School.  Books, records, pictures and other items are from numerous other area schools.  

One of the rooms upstairs is devoted to primitive tools used in farming, carpenter work and other chores.  There is an old account book there from a mercantile store, many photographs and items from an early post office.  

One of the most fascinating rooms is the hospital room.  It boasts an old wooden dentist chair and a drill that was peddled by the dentist while the dentist worked on his patient’s teeth.  There is another more modern dentist chair belonging to Dr. S. J. Short that was probably in use during the 1930’s and later years.  Old surgical equipment is on display in this area.  There is a needle actually used by Dr. Dunaway, one of the many doctors to practice during the early 1890’s in El Dorado Springs, to stitch up wounds of patients.  Generally that was done on the kitchen table during a house call.  Anyone interested in the history of the medical profession in the community will probably find what they are looking for in this room.  There are several advertisements of sanitariums that were in service in the community during the days of health spas.  

On the tables, back in the dining room, are many records of historical events in El Dorado Springs.  There are copies of interesting articles from the El Dorado Springs Sun plus scrapbooks and other books that contain a wealth of information.