Luke's Hot Pots
A part of my youth. During my teenage years a friend's parents
A part of my youth. During my teenage years a friend's parents
purchased the small resort. It was considered an inexpensive substitute for the Homestead
a short distance away. They were both based on their natural mineral hot pools. It's interesting because another good friend's family owned the Homestead. But we usually went to Luke's because we could goof-off there and the Homestead allowed no goofing off.
Stephen King could write a book here.
Old 6 room lava rock Hotel.
Wallpaper in the rooms
is in remarkably good condition.
A dry "hot pot" dome.
Entrance cut into dry dome. This is and has been party central.
Outdoor Dining Room
In the 40's and 50's many movie stars stayed here. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were regular guests and Virginia Mayo and her husband were good friends of the owners. It was so popular that they sometimes had to put a notice that the facility was closed to the "locals" on specific dates because they were full. They could accomodate about 240 in the dining room.
Old Majestic Stove with cooking shed on the groun
d around it.
entertainment stage at end.
Kitchen-- Very Stephen King. Something smells really, really bad in thenear vicinity. It's got to be a large animal or ???? Won't look for it right now.
Thought maybe the smell was coming from the large refrigerator or
smaller ice cream dispenser but no-- that wasn't the problem.
Turned around to walk past some cabinets and almost stepped on a
very dead deer carcass. I'll forego showing you the photo.
Dry Pool Cavern
Old Limestone rock water fountain
Old outdoor pool where good times were had many years ago.
Old indoor pool-- same good times.
Piped water from the thermal pools filled both pools. The indoor pool still has water in the bottom of it.
Small algae covered hot springs bubbling out of the ground and running down the
hill in three little streams. Put my finger in it and it is a comfortable warm temperature.
The water caused the little stream bed
in the limestone.
There were many of these small dry
stream beds.
Full Hot Pots with wire barriers around them.
Many small craters
on the property like this.
7 comments:
That was awesome. My great grandparents were the Luke's. I always felt frustrated that they had sold it before I was born. My grandmother Luke worked there as a young woman. I remember family reunions in the old danceroom with that beautiful wood floor, and the ice cream soda bar, I believe it was red cherry wood. Beautiful. I weep that some of the buildings lie in scrap and kindled wood. The past beckons to be remembered in bittersweet nostalgia. My grandfather Frank Luke was killed in the mines in Park City before I was born. My Grandfather Hair died from pneumonia in his fifty's. He was part of the Hairs that prospected. My Great Grandfather Samuel Hair was pretty good at finding but horrible at keeping and was not an entrepeneur at all. I never knew them. I felt cheated that I did not have a grandfather. Your pictures were awesome, thank you for sharing them.
I wish it was still open. We went there every easter for 30 yrs I swear. I was ju a t checking to see if maybe someone had reopened it. I would if I could. Homestead is nice but way to expensive for normal folks. Sad easter this year again I guess. ....
I wish it was still open. We went there every easter for 30 yrs I swear. I was ju a t checking to see if maybe someone had reopened it. I would if I could. Homestead is nice but way to expensive for normal folks. Sad easter this year again I guess. ....
It is so sad to see the Lukes (The Mountain Spa) closed and in such disrepair. I always hoped it would be purchased and returned to the original grandeur. I am so glad I had the opportunity to enjoy it and stay in the rock house. I will always cherish my memories of this magical place.
I am adding some stories about William Benjamin Rolfe to Family Search. William Rolfe owned and live at the are called Luke's Hot Pots 1886 to 1888 when he and his bother-in law sold the area to Andrew Luke and John Busby. I have just added a "History of Luke's Hot Pots" by John H. Luke to William Benjamin Rolfe's personal site on Family Search. I would like permission to add the link to this web site at the end of that story. I think the pictures and comments would add to the History. Would you give me permission to add the link?
Dennis Clavburn
dandcclayburn@gmail.com
I moved up to Midway 2 1/2 years ago and run past the "Mountain Spa" logo on my Monday runs. My mother-in-law used to work there as a young girl. I had the same wish, hoping that someone would restore it. We spent several summers swimming in the huge pool. Never got to stay in the cabins, though. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to jump the fence just to see what's left. I read somewhere that a Wellness Center was going to buy it and open up a spa. Anyway, let me know if you hear of any future plans. It's such a part of Midway history!
I just visited the Mountain Spa today and it has been thrashed,most likely by local teens. The pool is covered in graffiti and is chipping away. Many roofs have collapsed. Foul language and symbols cover the walls. Furniture and wall panels are lying all over the floor. Holes in walls. Holes in floors. Doors pulled off their hinges and probably every window has been shattered. The dining hall is destroyed. There is animal feces everywhere. Probably beyond restoration. Many people believe the place is haunted. I doubt that, but those are the circulating rumors. Water still seeps from the earth toward the pool but doesn't go into the pool.
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