Physical Culture City, Battle Creek, The Healthatorium & Dansville

PHYSICAL CULTURE CITY

One of Macfadden's earliest ventures was the 'Physical Culture City'

In 1905 he leased 1,900 acres near New Brunswick, NJ. He then leased tracts out to people whos 'alert minds would be sheltered in healthy bodies'.

Local residents were horrified at the scantily dressed, and sometimes naked or barefoot 'residents' of the city, most of whom lived in tents.

Macfadden had dreamed of 30,000 settlers but only ever attracted 200.

Physical Culture City was a brief triumph - then a disaster. In 1907 Macfadden was indicted for violating a federal obscenity law with articles in 'Physical Culture Magazine'. He was sentenced to 2 years hard labour and fined $2,000. In 1909, on appeal, President Taft signed a pardon, but the fine was never removed.

With the legal costs and other losses hanging over his head, the 'great experiment' was finally abandoned.

BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN

In 1907 Macfadden opened a Sanatorium at Battle Creek, Michigan. Because of its close proximity to the Kellogg Brothers establishment there was fierce competition. It remained open until 1909

THE HEALTHATORIUM, CHICAGO

In 1909 Macfadden moved the Sanatorium to the former Lakeside Club on Chicago's South Side in what was also his Physical Culture Training School. He renamed it the Healthatorium.

In 1911 he dropped all formal connections with the establishment. It continued to be run by Susie Wood, who was probably the mother of his daughter, Helen. She continued to operate the International Healthatorium, as it became known, until after World War II.

These postcards were issued in 1911 & 1912

PHYSICAL CULTURE HOTEL, DANSVILLE N.Y.

The Physical Culture Hotel at Dansville NY had been a Health Resort & Hotel since 1883 when it was opened by Dr. James Caleb Jackson. After a chequered existence Macfadden took control of it in 1929. In 1932 he gave over control of it to the Bernarr Macfadden Foundation.	How it looked in 1906

THE MACFADDEN - DEAUVILLE HOTEL, MIAMI BEACH

Macfadden acquired The Deauville in 1935 on a 33 year lease. During its development he spent nearly half a million dollars on enlarging and refurbishing it. It was then occupied by the United States Army from 1942 and when it was returned to him he was faced with a costly court case from the Deauville Corporation over commission fees for concessions in the Hotel. The building itself proved costly to maintain and in 1949 Macfadden lost control of it. All in all it cost him over one million dollars. About one year later the resort was acquired by E. M. Loewe, the Boston theatre chain operator.

EPILOGUE

After Macfadden's death in 1955, the Dansville hotel was acquired by New York City hotelier William Fromcheck, and operated as "Bernarr Macfadden's Castle on the Hill". But once again, a decline in popularity set in, and this time it was irreversible. The end came in 1971, when the doors of the health spa closed for the last time. A few subsequent efforts to make use of the building all met with quick failure; and today, the brick edifice rests empty and broken upon East Hill, a mute reminder of glory days gradually fading from living memory.

Further details about the origins of the P.C. Hotel and Dansville in general can be found on the excellent Dansville Community Home Page.

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