Massanetta Springs Historic District

Massanetta Springs Historic District is a retreat center in Rockingham County featuring historic structures and twentieth-century buildings. The site includes a 1910 hotel with a three-story mansard roof, the 900-seat Hudson Memorial Auditorium built in 1912, and over twenty modernist cabins and lodges designed by architect W. Glen Wallace from Minneapolis in 1955.

The site originated as Taylor's Springs in 1816, functioning as a Methodist meeting camp before Evan Henton transformed it into a spa resort in 1848. It subsequently developed into a destination for religious and cultural gatherings.

The Hudson Memorial Auditorium served as a venue for summer Bible conferences, sacred music festivals, and folk music gatherings that drew thousands of visitors throughout the twentieth century.

Visitors can walk through the grounds and explore the various buildings along established paths. It helps to get a sense of the layout before visiting, since the property includes several structures spread across different time periods.

The spring water from this location was bottled and distributed nationally under the brand name Massanetta, derived from combining the local term Massanutten with Henrietta, the wife of Dr. Burke Chrisman. This commercial venture brought recognition far beyond the region.

Location: Rockingham County

GPS coordinates: 38.40060,-78.83560

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:01