Steamboat Springs is a small
volcanic field
A volcanic field is an area of Earth's crust that is prone to localized volcanic activity. The type and number of volcanoes required to be called a "field" is not well-defined. Volcanic fields usually consist of clusters of up to 100 volcanoes ...
of
rhyolitic
Rhyolite ( ) is the most silica-rich of volcanic rocks. It is generally glassy or fine-grained (aphanitic) in texture, but may be porphyritic, containing larger mineral crystals (phenocrysts) in an otherwise fine-grained groundmass. The mineral ...
lava dome
In volcanology, a lava dome is a circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano. Dome-building eruptions are common, particularly in convergent plate boundary settings. Around 6% of eruptions on ...
s and flows in western
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
, located south of
Reno
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...
. There is extensive
geothermal activity in the area, including numerous
hot spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
s, steam vents, and
fumarole
A fumarole (or fumerole) is a vent in the surface of the Earth or other rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcani ...
s.
The residential portions of this area, located mostly east of Steamboat Creek and south of modern-day SR 341, are now known simply as Steamboat.
The state of Nevada has a Steamboat Springs Historical Marker (#198) situated along the eastern shoulder of the busy Carson–Reno Highway (
US 395 Alt.), approximately south of the Mount Rose Junction (the intersection with
SR 341 and
SR 431). There were once several mineral spas operating here along Steamboat Creek, with at least one still in business called Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa.
The water from the springs contains many minerals including: calcium carbonate, magnesium, sodium sulfate, carbon dioxide, lithia, soda and silica.
History
Native Americans considered the springs a sacred place. As settlers came west during the
Gold Rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New Z ...
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.
The
Virginia & Truckee Railroad
The Virginia and Truckee Railroad is a privately owned heritage railroad, headquartered in Virginia City, Nevada. Its private and publicly owned route is long. When first constructed in the 19th century, it was a commercial freight railroad ...
reached Steamboat Springs from Reno in 1871.
In 1871, with tracks yet to be built south through the Washoe Valley to
Carson City
Carson City is an Independent city (United States), independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the List of cities in Nevada, sixth largest ...
, this temporary rail terminus became an important transfer point for passengers and freight heading up the Geiger Grade on stagecoaches bound for
Virginia City
Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, and the largest community in the county. The city is a part of the Reno– Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Virginia City developed as a boom ...
and the mines of the
Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode is a lode of silver ore located under the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range in Virginia City, Nevada (then western Utah Territory), which was the first major discovery of silver ore in the United ...
. Once tracks were extended south the following summer to meet the existing Carson-Virginia City rail line, such transfer business fell off rapidly. Resort facilities continued to operate for many years.
An earthquake in 1900 caused the hot springs and geysers to dry up. A year later, on April 21, 1901, a wildfire destroyed the Grand Hotel and many other structures. In 1925, Dr.
Edna Jackson Carver bought the land and drilled a new well. She operated a hospital there and built the Pioneer State Health Hotel in 1937. In order to attempt to raise money for further financing for a larger resort, she wrote a prospectus stating that the thermogenic waters had extensive healing properties.
Geysers were active until the 1980s when a geothermal power plant was erected.
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
Paulino Uzcudun Eizmendi (3 May 1899 – 5 July 1985) was a Spanish heavyweight boxer, who is considered to be the greatest heavyweight from Spain. Uzkudun is the Basque spelling of his last name. He was the youngest of nine siblings. In his y ...
in 1931, a Basque heavyweight boxer,
King Levinsky
King Levinsky (10 September 1910 – 30 September 1991), also known as Kingfish Levinsky, was an American heavyweight boxer who fought during the 1930s. He was born Harris Kraków and was a member of the Kraków fish-selling family of Maxwell St ...
, a Chicago heavyweight boxer, and
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. ...
in 1932. Uzcudun and Levinsky trained at Steamboat in preparation for 20-round bouts with
Max Baer Max Baer may refer to:
* Max Baer (boxer) (1909–1959), American boxing world champion
** Max Baer Jr.
Maximilian Adelbert Baer Jr. (born December 4, 1937) is an American actor, producer, comedian, and director widely known for his role as ...
. In 1936, Ray Impelliterre stayed at Steamboat Springs to train for a fight in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
.
Steamboat Springs was also a healing site for racehorses. Famous Thoroughbred
Man o' War
Man o' War (March 29, 1917 – November 1, 1947) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is widely regarded as the greatest racehorse of all time. Several sports publications, including ''The Blood-Horse'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ESPN, and ...
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
The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...
soon afterward.
Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa
Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa at Steamboat Springs, Nevada is a wellness center that uses the spring’s natural geothermic waters to promote healing, detox, and relaxation services. The water is pumped directly from the hot springs into man-made pools and private tubs within the spa.
As a Nevada state-registered historic landmark, the geothermal hot springs provide a variety of preventative wellness therapies including
massage
Massage is the manipulation of the body's soft tissues. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. In Eu ...
s, exfoliation scrubs, lymphatic stimulation, aromatherapy,
Aryuveda, Sonatherapy (vibrational therapeutics), spectrum
light therapy
Light therapy, also called phototherapy or bright light therapy is intentional daily exposure to direct sunlight or similar-intensity artificial light in order to treat medical disorders, especially seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and circadi ...
,
mud treatments, and more. Visitors of the Spa range from bridal parties to cancer survivors to couples celebrating anniversaries.
Yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
,
Tai Chi
Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an neijia, internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and medita ...
,
Chi Kung
''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation
used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...
, Breath Practice, Relaxation Techniques, and Mindfulness Training classes and workshops are also offered at the Spa.
The Spa is open to the public and visitors have left reviews on the facility via
Trip Advisor.
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
![Geothermal Binary Power Plant Steamboat Springs NV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Geothermal_Binary_Power_Plant_Steamboat_Springs_NV.jpg)
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.
[
Steamboat two and three use two separate closed loops, one consisting of geothermal brine, and the other containing isobutane. Brine at 310 to 330 °F (155 to 166 °C) is pumped from nine underground wells using nine 450 horsepower, motor-driven, sixteen-stage vertical centrifugal pumps. The wells extend 590 to 2700 feet (180 to 823 meters) below ground and were drilled through fractured granite. Drill bits, at a cost of $10,000 to $20,000 each, were replaced after only 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) of drilling. Each well pumps an average of 1800 gallons (6813 liters) per minute.][
A bubbler tube is used to measure brine levels. By monitoring these levels, operators know they are not drawing down the underground reservoir. The water pressure never varies, and well levels are very stable. The brine remains a pressurized liquid as it is piped to twelve forty-foot long heat exchangers. Heat exchanger pressures and temperatures are controlled to minimize fouling. As the geothermal brine is piped through one side of the heat exchanger, isobutane is pumped through the other side by six horsepower pumps. Isobutane's 11 °F (-12 °C) boiling point makes it a good medium for use in a binary plant.]
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" He is also quoted as saying, “Behold! A Steamboat in the desert!” in 1861.
References
{{Authority control
Geysers of Nevada
Pleistocene lava domes
Volcanic fields of Nevada
Bodies of water of Washoe County, Nevada