Sweet Springs Resort Park Foundation Inc.
The current hotel building is the 3rd hotel building and was designed by THOMAS JEFFERSON
The 1st hotel on the property and the warm water healing pool were in use before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
October 15, 2023
The Sweet Springs Turnpike Trail opened to the public. This trail will go to top of Peters Mountain and meet the Allegheny Trail once it is completed from Fincastle VA to top of Peters Mountain. This will complete the marriage of the Allegheny and Appalachian trails.
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Picture on left - possibly the largest Oak tree in WV - located on the SST Trail.
Some Facts
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Between 1795 and 1807 the District Courthouse was located here on the Sweet Springs property. Of course, this was a VA Courthouse as WV had not become a state yet.
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The oldest stone-built jail and oldest frame-built house west of the Alleghanies still stand on the property.
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Some of the guests here throughout the history was: 8 of the first 10 Presidents; James & Dolly Madison; Millard Fillmore; Martin Van Buren; Franklin Pierce; Patrick Henry; Robert E. Lee; The Marquis de Lafayette; Jerome Bonaparte (Napoleon’s Brother); and more.
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C 1790, Anne Newport wed William Royall – a wealthy American Revolution Major Freemason and Deist. William saw to it that Anne received a proper education, and while married, lived here on the Sweet Springs property (the foundation to the house is still here). After William’s death, his family took Anne to court and took everything – leaving her penniless. Anne caught John Quincy Adams bathing in a river and took his clothes until he would listen to what she had to say. Anne became great friends with the Adams family, and thanks to her education, Anne Royall became the first noted woman journalist, editor, and writer. Upon her death, Anne was buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC.
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To date, everyone here is volunteer …..we have completed over 2.0 million in restoration with all work being done as true as possible to the 1833 design. WE HAVE NO LOANS, but operate strictly on Grants, Donations, and Fundraisers. ALL donations over $50 are tax deductible, and over $10,000 is a great tax write off.
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Sweet Springs Park has 2 unique water attractions: (1) The pure drinking waters which have been tested and reported as some of the purest in the world, and (2) the warm water pool where the water remains 73 degrees year-round. This is the same pool in which there are many “healing stories”.
This Jeffersonian project offers opportunities in: Education, Economics, History, Culture, The Arts, and can attract INTERNATIONAL attention. Sweet Springs lies within a 6- hour drive of 60% of the US population.
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The oldest Jail/Courthouse west of the Allegheny Mountains
The Warm Water Healing Pool is internationally famous and was the reason colonization began in this area.
Purpose
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Sweet Springs Resort Park Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) is organized, and will be operated, exclusively for charitable, recreational, Entrepreneurial Business, and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“the Code”), or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. The Foundation has been formed to operate and manage a park for the benfit of the public.
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The Sweet Springs Historic District is one of the most significant historic sites in North America (c 1740). The property, was used by the Trans Alleghany Indians long before settlers came here for medicinal and birthing purposes because of the pure drinking water (still some of the purest in the world) and the warm water pool (water stays 73 degrees year round). After William Lewis got title to the land, the first of 3 hotels was built. The current one, designed by Thomas Jefferson, opened in 1833 and the property consists of a large hotel, several houses, the oldest frame built house and oldest jail west of the Alleghany Mountains, and the foundation to the homestead of Anne Royall - the first noted woman journalist, editor, writer and friend to John Quincy Adams. Anne is buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC. Between 1795 & 1807, the District Court House was here on the property with court being held in the jailhouse.
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8 of the first 10 Presidents stayed here at the grand hotel, with some spending an entire season here. Some of the famous folks to stay here was: James & Dolly Madison; Millard Fillmore, Martin Van Buren, Franklin Pierce, Patrick Henry, the Marquis de Lafayette, Jerome Bonapart (Napoleon's brother), and many others.
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After being bypassed by the railroad, the resort here never gained its pre-civil war popularity and began to decline.
The Foundation will restore this property which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Foundation plans for the property to include a hotel and conference center, business center, and health spa. In addition the Foundation will develop a sports training and recreation center to serve the local communities as well as disadvantaged and inner-city youth, an organic farmer’s market operated by U.S. veterans, and a historic museum, combining the entire 525 acre property into a public park.
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Excerpts from "Healing Waters", WV South Magazine, June/July 2016 by Cindy Worley
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Berkley has leased the 500 adjoining acres, currently owned by the state, to be used for recreational and farming activities. "It will be perfect for a sports training facility for children _ for soccer, tennis, maybe a putting green and an amphitheater. We would also use it for organic farming, perhaps a small vineyard," he explains.
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"Our objective is to restore this place and use it to the best purpose to support itself. It's just too beautiful to let go. I was scared to death somebody would buy it, tear it down and bottle the water." [Ashby Berkley]
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"This is just not a Monroe County property, it is a national property." [Ashby Berkley]
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Photo by Bill Brezinski
Photo by Millie Mattox