There was a time in St. Louis history when taking a bath was a communal experience. Public bath houses were important features of turn-of-the-century cities where coal smoke filled the air, covering anyone who stepped outside. Those few St. Louisans lucky enough to own bathtubs had to repeatedly fill them using water brought in from outside and were usually forced to share the tub’s water with other members of the family.
Public Bath House #1 opened near Carr and 10th streets in 1907 and was the first of six bath houses that would dot the city. Bathers could choose tubs or showers and were expected to bring their own soap and towels.
St. Louisans flocked to the bath houses. About 500,000 people took a soak at Bath House #1 in its first eight years, and one located in Soulard recorded more than 230,000 visitors in its first year alone.
As technology advanced, the number of bath houses dwindled, but Bath House #6, the last to be built, did not stop operations until 1965. That building can still be seen at 1120 St. Louis Avenue.