 a gentleman named captain thomas bullitt he was a member of the u.s military and two brothers thomas and andrew lewis paid 30 shillings for 300 acres which contained the seven natural mineral springs they knew of the many healing qualities of the water so they had a very bright idea they moved their families to the area and within two years an 18-room wooden hotel was completed and in 1766 10 years before the u.s officially began the homestead did open named to honor the homesteaders who built the resort and the bath houses but fun fact the