Mayor Pat McCabe issues a proclamation declaring May 1, Henry Glover Day in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
By Sherry Glover Thompson
In a faraway enchanted land, nestled among Arkansas’s Ouachita Mountains with gently streaming thermal waters that cover a pristine landscape, topped off with an array of natural beauty that surrounds the quaint resort town of Hot Springs…
Folks from all walks of life and across the global ponds have come here to relax and rejuvenate in the bubbling mineral springs for decades. Yes, Hot Springs is a small town where BIG dreams are made…
In May of this year, Hot Springs paid tribute to my father, Henry B. Glover, as we celebrated the 100th anniversary of his birth. Thanks to the extensive research of Stephen Koch, the longtime host of the weekly radio show “Arkansongs,” who opened the hidden treasure chest into his life.
“Henry Glover had deep roots in Hot Springs,” Koch says, “His dad worked at the Quapaw Bath & Spa and his grandmother ran a boarding house.”
Koch brought his story to life when he contacted the Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance (HSACA) about recognizing one of their renowned, homegrown sons in the music industry.
According to Mary Zunick, HSACA’s Executive Director, “The more I learned about him, the more it became apparent that we needed to celebrate his life and accomplishments.”
After much effort and in the aftermath of the pandemic, the dream was realized when the City of Hot Springs inducted him into the Arkansas Walk of Fame along famous Bathhouse Row and named a small park “Henry Glover Way ” after him. Mayor Pat McCabe, in a mayoral proclamation, declared May 21, Henry Glover Day in Hot Springs, and presented me with the coveted “Key to the City!”
Yes, indeed! Hot Springs is a small town where BIG dreams are made and for this native four-generation offspring, it’s a dream that finally came true. Thanks to everyone who made this possible. We’re looking forward to making many more dreams come true for you, too, in 2022. Stay in touch with us.
