Steamboat Springs (Nevada)

Native Americans considered the springs a sacred place. As settlers came west during the Gold Rush in 1849, and noticed steam coming from cracks in the rock, the hot springs became a welcoming watering place for traveling wagons. In those early days, William Wright reported that as many as sixty or seventy columns of steam could be seen when the air was cool and calm. Yet, it wasn't until 1859 that the first development was built consisting of a shed with two rooms, one for a tub and one as a steam room. The area was further established in 1860 by Frenchman Felix Monet. In the early days, when the air was cool and calm, William Wright reported that as many as sixty or seventy columns of steam could be seen. In the early 1860s, cottages, a bathhouse and a hospital set up by British hydrotherapist Dr. James Ellis were built near the springs, but many buildings were destroyed by a fire in 1867. In the early 1870s, a hotel was built to shelter 50 guests. Along with a new drugstore, cottages and 15 medicinal bathing facilities, the town became a popular spa with silver miners, tourists and people seeking health treatments. Company officials stated that their studies showed that water level changes preceded the plant and were caused by drought. == Sports ==

In 1924, Steamboat Springs became a training and healing site for famous boxers thanks to a boxing promoter. Famous boxers who visited and stayed at the springs included Paolino Uzcudun in 1931, a Basque heavyweight boxer, King Levinsky, a Chicago heavyweight boxer, and Jack Dempsey in 1932. Uzcudun and Levinsky trained at Steamboat in preparation for 20-round bouts with Max Baer. In 1936, Ray Impelliterre stayed at Steamboat Springs to train for a fight in San Francisco. Steamboat Springs was also a healing site for racehorses. Famous Thoroughbred Man o' War was brought to the springs in the 1940s with major injuries where his handler used the mud and mineral water for therapeutic purposes. He returned to win the Kentucky Derby soon afterward. == Cosolargy ==

Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa is a retreat connected with the Cosolargy Institute providing their Community and the general public a place where they can soak and heal with the help of energetic healing treatments. Cosolargy Institute is a branch of the International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent. == Geothermal plant ==

The Steamboat Geothermal Plant is composed of three separate units, Steamboat 1, 2 and 3. Steamboat 1 was built in 1986 as a pilot project. Steamboat 2 and 3 were finished ahead of schedule and became operational in December 1992. The three plants produce over 24 MW of electricity, enough to supply 24,000 homes. == Writings ==

In 1935, state engineer Alfred Merritt Smith wrote about Steamboat Springs: “Geologically, the springs are among the most interesting in the world, for they demonstrate in a striking way how mineral veins and deposits are formed. The hot water is constantly depositing silica, gold, silver, mercury, antimony, and other minerals and metals, which it holds in solution. The silica is held in solution as a jelly-like colloid, and upon the evaporation of the water is deposited as translucent gelatinous silica, which on the surface is gradually dehydrated to become amorphous white sinter. In cracks and crevices, the silica becomes banded chalcedony, or even quartz. The metals are deposited simultaneously with the silica. One of the most beautiful mineral specimens in the well-known Mackay School of Mines Museum at Reno is a mass of intermixed dazzling white silica, crimson cinnabar, and meta-stibnite from Steamboat Springs.” == Name ==

Mark Twain wrote in August 1863 "... From one spring the boiling water is ejected a foot or more by the infernal force at work below, and in the vicinity of all of them one can hear a constant rumbling and surging, somewhat resembling the noises peculiar to a steamboat in motion - hence the name" == References ==