This West Virginia Town Is Home to America's First Spa and Under 1,000 Residents-but It Technically Doesn't Exist

""Many folks here say Berkeley Springs is more of a state of mind than a place," says Dustin "Dusty" Martin, executive director of Travel Berkeley Springs. Even though the town of Berkeley Springs isn't technically real, many businesses still list it as their address. The town's two James Beard Award nominees-chefs Damian Heath and Scott Collinash-say they're from Berkeley Springs, and you'll still get mail delivered to the nonexistent destination."

"It's a quirky nuance that you can use either name interchangeably to talk about the same place. The Town of Bath was officially founded in 1776, named after the famous spas in Bath, England, and at the 2020 census reported around 750 residents. George Washington first visited the area in 1748 as a land surveyor and was a frequent visitor to the warm springs for years, even buying land in town."

Berkeley Springs is the commonly used name for the Town of Bath, West Virginia, centered on historic mineral warm springs that have drawn visitors since the 18th century. The postal ZIP code adopted the Berkeley Springs name to avoid duplication, so many businesses and residents use that address despite the municipal government being the Town of Bath. The town was officially founded in 1776 and had about 750 residents at the 2020 census. George Washington visited the springs beginning in 1748 and purchased land there. The springs and Roman-style baths remain the primary tourist attraction and a defining local identity.

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