I had heard of the historic West Baden Springs Hotel, but I had no idea, really, until I arrived and found the amazing circular hotel with huge atrium that this area of Indiana offers so much more than a wonderful and fun casino. I stayed at the West Baden Springs Hotel and played at the French Lick Springs Resort Casino, two affiliated facilities. I and enjoyed the spa and talks with the very friendly staff and guests, toured the golf courses, shops, outdoor gardens, and hiking trails, took a bath in mineral waters in the spa, swam laps at the indoor pool, went on an historical tour, and enjoyed luxurious accommodations.
Why are these nearby towns and resorts separate, but equally fun? The answer is found in relating a few historical notes. Pioneers pushed westward in America and followed buffalo trails to locate mineral licks and sources of salt. In 1778 George Rogers Clark found the springs at French Lick. Dr. William Bowles bought the land in 1832 and established an inn. When Dr. Bowles went away to fight in the Mexican War, Dr. John Lane leased the inn and business. Upon Bowles' return, Lane enjoyed the business so much he was reluctant to give it up, so he went a mile away and built another inn called Mile Lick, later changed to West Baden Springs. Healthy competition and business held forth for years despite changes in ownership for both properties. The Monon Railroad established service to both resorts by 1887, bringing thousands of visitors a day.
In 1888 entrepreneur Lee Sinclair acquired the West Baden Springs Hotel and made major changes to create a world-class destination. He oversaw the heating of the hotel and construction of a power plant to provide electrical lighting and winter heat to the rooms. Other improvements included a dance hall, ice plant, employees' quarters, gazebos over the springs, a double-decker bicycle and pony track, and a baseball field which provided spring training for professional teams. People flocked to take the healing waters and gamble at the nearby casino, but nearly all of it was destroyed in a 1901 fire, and as a result, rival French Lick was poised to become bigger and better. Sinclair vowed to rebuild a hotel that would be fire-resistant and more impressive than ever. He envisioned a round hotel capped with a huge dome to rise from the ashes in a year's time. Many professional architects declined and said it was impossible, but Harrison Albright of West Virginia designed a dome 200 feet in diameter, and the brick, steel, and glass marvel was constructed in 277 days!
When I walked into the huge atrium, I felt a child's simple pleasure in the spacious and harmonious expanse. The atrium is 600 feet in circumference. Plants, statues, and lounges dot the floor, and you can see the interior rooms' windows, with occasional balconies. There is a colorful Rookwood Pottery mural over a 12-foot long fireplace, bar, shops, and glass elevator which rises to the top, sixth floor. That floor encompasses a single luxury suite.
Everywhere I explored at the West Baden Springs hotel, I found handicraft of original dÈcor and patient restoration. The floor shows off millions of Italian tiles, the library off the original main entrance is where men smoked and talked business, and the long covered porch sports wooden rocking chairs overlooking the Lick Creek and West Baden grounds and garden. There is much more history than can be included here, but a mini overview of the hotel's last 100-plus years includes service as a World War I Army hospital, a Jesuit seminary, a private college, as well as no service at all as it sat empty for some years. Twice since 1991 the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana came to the building's rescue before its purchase in 1996 by philanthropists Bill and Gayle Cook. The restoration story, involving over a half a billion dollars, could be a book in itself. For more detailed history see Chris Bundy's West Baden Springs: Legacy of Dreams.
Combined, French Lick Resort and Casino and West Baden Springs Hotel offer three golf courses, a sports center, pools and spas at both locations, restaurants, horse and carriage rides, hayride and chuck wagon cookouts, pony rides, shuttle service between the locations, conference meeting facilities, weddings, Vegas-style gambling, bowling lanes, 17,000 square feet of shopping, Senior Days, and special headline events. Everywhere I roamed, the service and friendly professionalism was affirming to me as guest and friend. Check out Ballard's for cocktails in the Atrium, or go to the CafÈ for fine dining. Table 1 is pricy but has a full glass window view of your chefs in action. I followed a recommendation for raspberry sorbet at both Scoops and Xanadu, and lunched at the well-appointed 1875óThe Steakhouse. Another lounge/eatery is the PowerPlant, at French Lick, where copper switches adorn one wall. Pulling the switches playfully stops or starts mechanized toys on top of the wall. Paintings of angels were also discovered in the West Baden Hotel; there are reproductions displayed downstairs, but I won't tell you any more, so you can have a few of your own discoveries. I enjoyed so many aspects of my tripóthe drive, spa and gambling, spacious hotel rooms, history, and nature. If you need another reason to visit, West Baden Springs Hotel has a very romantic atmosphere, and Valentine's Day is near.
Drive safely on your winter day trips!
To Get There
To get to West Baden Springs or French Lick, Ind., which both feature historic hotels, from Lexington, take Interstate 64 west past Louisville, and past the two New Albany, Ind., exits to Highway 150 to Greenville. Hwy 150 narrows to a two-lane road and winds through picturesque farm and woods to Paoli. In Paoli, turn left on State Hwy 56, and go west for 10 miles to French Lick. French Lick, the town, spreads out alongside West Baden Springs, the first location as you drive in on Hwy 56, and next to French Lick, the Resort and Casino, just over a mile southwest from West Baden Springs.
To plan your trip, go to www.frenchlick.com, or call 1-888-MY HIDEAWAY,
1-888-694-4332. A new highway extension was opened after I left which cuts up from Interstate 64; take Exit 79. West Baden Springs Hotel is located at 8538 West Baden Avenue, West Baden Springs, Ind., 47469.