The Montgomery White Sulphur Springs resort–located near Blacksburg, Virginia–was incorporated in 1855 and construction began soon after. This resort, like several others in Virginia and West Virginia, was a popular getaway for visitors to benefit from the supposed healing powers of the mineral spring water. While the White Sulphur Springs resort in West Virginia had the reputation of being the best of these resorts, the Montgomery White, as well as many other similar resorts in Virginia, offered other alternatives. Beginning in 1862, the Montgomery White served as a Confederate hospital. After the war, the Montgomery White was restored and reopened, hosting such important historical events as the Southern Historical Society's first meeting, at which Jefferson Davis was in attendance. Economic hardships at the end of the 19^th century caused the closure of the Montgomery White; in 1904, all remaining buildings were razed.

Around 1810, the Yellow Sulphur Springs resort was built by Charles Taylor between Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Virginia, and by the 1850s, it was a popular resort that was constantly expanding. Like other resorts built to take advantage of the healing powers of the mineral water, this hotel had several structures, including a grand hotel, guest cottages, and a gazebo under which guests could drink the restorative waters. Today, the Yellow Sulphur Springs Resort still stands with many of the original buildings intact, making it the only surviving resort in Southwest Virginia from the ante-bellum period.

While various resorts and inns in the United States claim the name of Hancock House, the particular institution to which the ball invitation refers cannot be determined.

For more information on Montgomery White Sulphur Springs and Yellow Sulpher Springs, see: Reniers, Perceval. The Springs of Virginia; Life, Love and Death at the Waters, 1775-1900. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1941. Rare Book Collection: Spec Large F226 .R4 c.4 or Spec Civil War F226 .R4 c.5