In the United States, the use of natural springs, especially geothermal ones, have gone through three stages of development: (1) use by Indians as a sacred place, (2) development by the early European settlers to emulate the spas of Europe, and (3) finally, as a place of relaxation and fitness. The Indians of the Americas considered hot springs as a sacred place of Wakan Tanka (“Great Mystery” or Great Sacredum” in the Lakota language) and thus, were great believers in the miraculous healing powers of the heat and mineral waters. Every major hot springs in the U.S. has some record of use by the Indians