Hot Springs, Arkansas (pop. 37,930; met. area pop. 100,180), is the only city in the United States that has almost all of a national park within its city limits. The park is called Hot Springs National Park. The city was named for the hot mineral springs located there.
Millions of people visit Hot Springs each year. Thoroughbred horse races at Oaklawn Park race track attract many people. The city has many hotels, resorts, and other lodging facilities. Most of the city’s people work in these facilities or in bathhouses or other tourist attractions.
A trapper, Manuel Prudhomme, founded the first permanent settlement at Hot Springs in 1807. In 1832, President Andrew Jackson signed a special act of Congress that named the town. The city grew rapidly after the Diamond Joe Railroad was completed in 1874, connecting Hot Springs with St. Louis , Missouri. Hot Springs has a city manager-board of directors form of government and is the seat of Garland County.
