TIME TOUR: FDR Visits Hot Springs

On a scorching June 10th in 1936, the largest crowd up to that time in Hot Springs history massed at the Missouri Pacific train depot and along our streets. Thousands waited patiently — buying souvenirs and cold drinks from concession stands, hoisting their kids onto their shoulders, crowding windows and rooftops. President Franklin and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt were coming to Hot Springs to open Arkansas’ Centennial celebration. Photos courtesy of the Garland County Historical Society