Mineral Waters and Pure Mountain Air

This work explores the interconnectivity of Southern Appalachia with other regions of the United States through a historical examination of nearly 40 health resorts that once operated in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. The resorts' advertised healing properties and recreational amenities attracted visitors from across the country and engaged with evolving national trends in medicine, tourism, and leisure. Highlighting the role of these institutions as a vital nexus of exchange, this work reveals the region's contributions to broader American culture and refutes the long-standing stereotype of Southern Appalachia as an insular and disconnected region.