In 1909, J.O. Langford, suffering from malaria, traveled to this area at the confluence of Tornillo Creek and the Rio Grande River to partake of the healing waters. This was at a time when many Texans were turning to mineral springs to heal everything from polio to skin sores, and word had spread that quicksilver miners from nearby Terlingua had found relief in the waters near Boquillas Canyon. Heated by natural geothermal processes and emerging at 105°F, the springs contained dissolved mineral salts believed to possess healing properties. Langford was soon healed, and in the wake of his recovery, he purchased the surrounding land and hired a German stonemason to construct a small stone bathhouse. Source.

Though the Langford family temporarily vacated the area in 1913 due to the Mexican Revolution erupting along the border, they returned to their modest resort in 1927, at which point they expanded the bathhouse and added tourist accommodations and a post office. While other small hot springs exist nearby, these larger and more accessible springs remain the most renowned in the region.

The majority of J.O. Langford's once grand bathhouse was washed away in a 1938 flood, leaving only the foundation remains on the north bank of the Rio Grande. However, visitors today can still experience a rustic bathing experience amidst breathtaking scenery from the ruins of Langford's old tubs. Additional structures that were part of Langford's complex still exist and can be viewed along the Hot Springs Historic District trail.