Cotton Club, New York

Smithsonian MagazineSep 2

Before Vegas Became Vegas, Hot Springs Was America's Sin City. Now the Arkansas Spa Town Embraces Its Colorful and Seedy History

A life-size statue of Al Capone greets downtown visitors, and you can stay in his hotel suite. The town where gangsters once vacationed with movie stars and athletes is still open for a getaway

Madden owned this famous Harlem club

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Cotton ClubBarMadden owned this famous Harlem club
Elsewhere
Hot Springs National ParkNature reserveHot Springs, United Stateshistoric bathhouses enclosed within it
Al CaponeSightHot Springs, United Statesstatue outside a downtown bar with cigar
Gangster Museum of AmericaMuseumHot Springs, United Statesfounder and director Robert K. Raines
Arlington Resort Hotel & SpaHotelHot Springs, United StatesCapone rented entire fourth floor
Happy Hollow Amusement ParkSightHot Springs, United StatesCapone rode donkeys here
Ouachita RiverSightHot Springs, United StatesCapone kept a fishing cabin on it
Southern ClubSightHot Springs, United Statespremier gambling venue Capone frequented
Ohio ClubRestaurantHot Springs, United StatesCapone, Siegel, Luciano, Ruth frequented
Oaklawn racetrackSightHot Springs, United Statesdraw in Capone's day, now has casino
Buckstaff BathhouseSightHot Springs, United States
MauriceSightHot Springs, United States

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Cotton Club

In the coverage1 story

Before Vegas Became Vegas, Hot Springs Was America's Sin City. Now the Arkansas Spa Town Embraces Its Colorful and Seedy History