Dillon’s Russian Steam Bath

Dillon’s Russian Steam Bath in Chelsea is a traditional bathhouse, or shvitz, that has operated since 1885 and bills itself as the oldest steam bath in the United States. Its roots lie in the bathing traditions of Russia and Eastern Europe. The centerpiece is a steam chamber heated by fiery hot granite rocks, where temperatures on the upper benches reach nearly 180 degrees and bathers cool off by wringing a sponge of cold water over their heads.

The signature treatment is the platza, from the Yiddish for shoulders: an oil rub delivered with a small broom of oak leaves soaked in hot soapy water and brushed over the whole body by the masseur. There is also a traditional wet steam room, plenty of showers, a small snack bar, a large-screen television and a lounge with comfortable chairs. Owner Lisa Rizzo took over in 1999, at age 30, after her husband died, and now runs it as a woman-owned business.

What to Know

• Monday is women’s night, a tradition started by Lisa’s late husband and running for more than 20 years; other days are men only.
• Rizzo’s son now shares the family’s passion for the bath.
• The Chelsea Heritage Grant has helped support the business.
• The bathhouse sits just off the first exit from the Tobin Bridge coming from Boston.
• New programs continue to be added alongside traditional shvitz services.