Page 7
The story of the Hunter family and the development of Hunters Hot Springs has come from several sources. Newspaper interviews from the 1920's and 30's with Dr. Hunter's wife, Susan Hunter (story below), and his daughters Lizzie Rich and Mary Doane, provided some of this information. The Hunters Hot Springs Chronicles, newspaper articles complied by Miles Iverson from 1871-1900's, and articles written in Montana History books comprised the other sources. While all these sources do not agree on some the facts, here is some of the family stories:
1870-1871
Dr. A. J. Hunter bid on, and was awarded, the contract to operate the Gallatin County Hospital and he became the medical officer for Fort Ellis as well. During this period when the Hunters were in Bozeman, Doctor Hunter was appointed Gallitin County Physician and opened a drug store, all of this in addition to his position as probate judge for Gallatin County.
July 1870 census records show that Bozeman had a population of 168. Diamond City, the last address for the Hunters, had a population of 5,000 at that time. During his first year in Bozeman, Dr. Hunter managed to find time to file a squatters' right claim to the site which eventually became known as Hunters Hot Springs, the land he had seen near present-day Springdale on his westward trip. When time allowed the family worked at the springs, hauling lumber and building a log cabin in 1870 followed by the bath houses in 1871. It was necessary to improve the land in order to validate one's claim to the land. The fact that Hunter built a bath house at the hot springs so quickly might indicate more than a desire for a hot soak, perhaps he had a vision of a spa with paying guests sometime in the future.
According to journal records kept by Dr. A. J. Hunter's wife, Susan Hunter, in the winter of 1870-1871, interesting events were transpiring due to the Hunter family's involvement witht the development of the site which was to become known as Hunters Hot Springs. The following extended excerpt from Susan Hunter's diary is presented with all its colorful pioneer telling-style: "Dr. Hunter (was) getting discouraged here (at the hot springs and) came back to Bozeman where we could know when it would be safe (from Indian attack) to come out on the Yellowstone to hold the hot springs...which he located as we emigrated here (to Montana). He (A. J Hunter) built the finest house at the now famous Hunters Hot Springs in 1870 and held possession of them. In 1871, (he) built the first bath house, the lumber costing $80 a thousand and $60 per thousand to get it hauled there on account of savage Indians all over the country at that time. Our first visit to the springs was made in July 1871 by the Dr., myself, the children and a Methodist minister and his wife."
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