Ethan Rhodes
The French Lick Springs Hotel, a part of the French Lick Resort complex, is a historic hotel and major resort in Orange County, Indiana. The hotel was initially known as a mineral spring health spa for its 'miracle waters from the sulphur springs in the area. The hotel has undergone several ownership changes, renovations, and expansions since it was first built in 1845. During World War I, the West Baden Springs Hotel, a neighbouring hotel in the French Lick Resort, served as a temporary hospital for recovering soldiers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Was French Lick Hotel ever a hospital? | No, but the West Baden Springs Hotel, part of the French Lick Resort, was temporarily used as a hospital during WWI. |
| Name of the resort | French Lick Resort |
| Location | French Lick, Orange County, Indiana |
| History | The resort was initially known as a mineral spring health spa and for its trademarked Pluto Water. |
| The first hotel on the site, the French Lick Springs Hotel, was built by Dr. William Bowles in 1845. | |
| The resort became a popular vacation spot for wealthy and prominent society members in the early 1900s. | |
| The resort has undergone multiple ownership changes, renovations, and expansions over the years. | |
| The West Baden Springs Hotel, part of the resort, served as a temporary hospital during WWI from 1918 to 1919. | |
| Recent Developments | The resort was purchased by the Cook Group Inc. in 2005 and underwent significant restorations. |
| The resort now includes a casino and has hosted Senior PGA and LPGA tournaments. |
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What You'll Learn
The French Lick Springs Hotel was initially a mineral spring health spa
The French Lick Springs Hotel, a part of the French Lick Resort complex, is a historic resort hotel in Orange County, Indiana. The hotel was initially known as a mineral spring health spa and for its trademarked Pluto Water. The hotel site was located near a salt lick that wild animals visited as they travelled along the Buffalo Trace in southern Indiana. Native Americans also used the area as hunting grounds.
The first hotel on the site was built around 1845 by Dr. William Bowles and was named the French Lick Springs Hotel. The hotel included three separate buildings: the Windsor Hotel, the Hotel Clifton, and the Hotel Pavilion. Bowles constructed three separate buildings so that if one hotel caught fire, the others wouldn't burn down. The hotel was a modest success and, in 1846, Bowles leased the property to Dr. John A. Lane before departing for military service in the Mexican-American War. Under the terms of the lease, Lane agreed to enlarge and improve the facility.
In the early 1850s, Bowles resumed management of the hotel and continued to improve the property. He purchased additional land from Lane that included mineral springs at Mile Lick, located one mile north of French Lick. In 1869, the French Lick hotel's largest mineral spring was named Pluto's Well by Joseph G. Rogers, a physician from Madison, Indiana. The hotel was rebuilt or enlarged as a 2½-story frame building with a wrap-around veranda in the Gothic Revival style.
In 1887, the hotel was sold to a group of Louisville, Kentucky, investors, who expanded the hotel's operation from a seasonal business to a year-round resort. The main hotel building (Windsor) was destroyed by fire in 1897 and was rebuilt on an even grander scale. In 1901, the hotel was purchased by Thomas Taggart, a former mayor of Indianapolis, and his son, Thomas D. Taggart, who further expanded and improved the hotel, adding luxurious furnishings and marble floors. During their ownership from 1901 to 1946, the hotel attracted many fashionable, wealthy, and notable guests.
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The hotel was built by Dr. William Bowles in 1845
The French Lick Springs Hotel, a part of the French Lick Resort complex, is a historic resort hotel in Orange County, Indiana. The hotel was initially known as a mineral spring health spa for its "miracle waters" from the sulphur springs in the area. The hotel was built by Dr. William Bowles in 1845.
Dr. Bowles built the first hotel on the site in 1845 and named it the French Lick Springs Hotel. The hotel included three separate buildings: the Windsor Hotel, the Hotel Clifton, and the Hotel Pavilion. Dr. Bowles designed the hotel in this way so that if one hotel caught fire, the others would not be affected. This was a wise decision, as the main hotel building (Windsor) was destroyed by fire in 1897.
The "miracle waters" from the sulphur springs in the area were believed to have healing properties and attracted lodgers from hundreds of miles away. In fact, the hotel's largest mineral spring was named Pluto's Well in 1869 by Joseph G. Rogers, a physician from Madison, Indiana. Pluto is the classical mythological god of the underworld. The mineral water was believed to cure all diseases, and Pluto Water was even bottled and sold nationally.
In 1846, Dr. Bowles left for military service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. Before his departure, he leased the property to Dr. John A. Lane, a physician and patent medicine salesman, for at least five years. Under the terms of the lease, Dr. Lane agreed to enlarge and improve the facility. When Dr. Bowles resumed management of the hotel in the early 1850s, he continued to make improvements, including purchasing additional land that included mineral springs at Mile Lick, located one mile north of French Lick.
The French Lick Springs Hotel has changed ownership several times and has undergone numerous renovations over the years. It has been a popular destination for wealthy and prominent society members and has played a significant role in the economic achievement of the region. The hotel has also faced challenges and crises throughout its history but has always managed to survive and thrive.
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The West Baden Springs Hotel was used as a hospital during WWI
The West Baden Springs Hotel, a rival of the French Lick Springs Hotel, was used as a hospital during World War I. Located in Orange County, Indiana, the West Baden Springs Hotel was built in the mid-1850s by John A. Lane, a physician and patent medicine salesman. Lane assembled a sawmill, erected a bridge to traverse Lick Creek, and built the hotel, sparking a decades-long rivalry with the nearby French Lick Springs Hotel.
In 1888, Lee W. Sinclair transformed the West Baden Springs Hotel into a sophisticated resort. He added an opera house, golf courses, a church, a ball field, and a double-decker pony and bicycle track. A fire ravaged the hotel in 1901, but Sinclair seized the opportunity to further enhance the hotel. With a $414,000 budget, Sinclair constructed a hotel modelled after Europe's grandest spas, featuring the world's largest free-span dome, stretching 200 feet.
As the fighting in World War I intensified, the U.S. government anticipated an influx of soldiers returning from overseas and required additional military hospitals for their recovery. The Sinclair family, embodying a patriotic spirit, offered the West Baden Springs Hotel to the War Department. On September 28, 1918, a lease was signed with the U.S. Army, agreeing to an annual payment of $125,000 to the family for the use of the hotel and its facilities.
The West Baden Springs Hotel underwent significant modifications to serve as a hospital. Interior hotel rooms were converted into professional offices for doctors, specialty clinics, surgical rooms, and wards for the sick. The dining room was transformed into a mess hall, while the ballroom above it became an 80-bed ward. The swimming pool was covered to create additional floor space for barracks, and the upper two floors of the garage were repurposed as barracks, with the first floor remaining a garage for military vehicles. The lobby, mezzanine, and men's smoking room (now known as the Library) were also converted into wards, while the atrium was the only space that remained unchanged.
The West Baden Springs Hotel played a crucial role in providing medical care and recovery for soldiers during World War I. After the war, the hospital was decommissioned, and the hotel was returned to the Sinclair family on July 1, resuming its function as a sophisticated resort destination.
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The French Lick Resort is made up of two large hotels
The first hotel, the French Lick Springs Hotel, was built in 1845 by Dr. William Bowles and was initially known as a mineral spring health spa. The hotel included three separate buildings, one called the Windsor Hotel, the Hotel Clifton, and the Hotel Pavillion. This was done so that if one hotel caught fire, the others would not burn down. The hotel was a modest success, and Bowles leased the property in 1846 to Dr. John A. Lane before departing for military service in the Mexican-American War. Lane agreed to enlarge and improve the facility, purchasing 770 acres of land from Bowles that included mineral springs at Mile Lick.
In the early 1850s, Bowles resumed management of the hotel, and competition between the two hotels began. The West Baden Springs Hotel was built by Lane in 1855, and the two hotels have since exchanged ownership numerous times and undergone various renovations. In 1897, the main hotel building (Windsor) was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt on a grander scale. The West Baden Springs Hotel served as a World War I hospital from 1918 to 1919, and both hotels became internationally prominent in 1901.
The French Lick Resort is rich in history, with guided tours, museums, specialty tours, afternoon tea, and musical entertainment. The resort also offers complimentary shuttle services to transport guests throughout the resort and into the town of French Lick.
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The resort has been used for filming and has a museum
The French Lick Resort in Indiana is a historic site with a rich past. The resort has been used for filming and has a museum that showcases its history. The French Lick Springs Hotel, which is part of the French Lick Resort complex, has been featured in films and has a long and fascinating history.
The hotel was initially known as a mineral spring health spa and for its trademarked Pluto Water. During the early 1900s, the hotel attracted many wealthy and notable guests, including fashionable society members. The resort was also a major employer of African-American labour, mostly from Kentucky. The hotel had a Negro League baseball team called the French Lick Plutos and was a venue for spring training for professional baseball teams until the 1940s.
The French Lick Springs Hotel has a museum that showcases its history. The museum displays artefacts and highlights some of the remarkable feats of the hotel's past, including information about its past owners and the restoration process. Visitors can learn about the famous mineral water that attracted guests from all over, as well as the history of gambling at the resort. The museum is located near the Mineral Springs exit in the atrium.
The resort has also been used as a filming location for movies and TV shows. The exact details of which productions have been filmed at the resort are scarce, but it has likely been a desirable location due to its beauty and history. The resort's proximity to French Lick Springs and West Baden Springs, two iconic symbols of great economic achievement in the early 1900s, may also make it an attractive filming location.
The French Lick Resort has a fascinating history that dates back to the early 1800s. The resort has been through many changes and challenges, but it continues to thrive and draw visitors from around the world. The addition of a casino in 2005 and the recent renovations have helped to ensure the resort's survival and success.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the French Lick Springs Hotel was never a hospital. However, it was known as a mineral spring health spa and for its trademarked Pluto Water.
The French Lick Springs Hotel is a major resort hotel in Orange County, Indiana. The hotel has been known for its recreational sports offerings, particularly golf, and its reputation for illegal gambling.
The hotel has attracted fashionable, wealthy, and notable guests, including actor John Barrymore, composer Irving Berlin, and gangster Al Capone.
The hotel offers various dining options, from fine dining to casual and grab-and-go. There is also live music in the Atrium every night from 5-9 pm, and The Library is transformed into a Late Night Jazz Club on weekends.
The French Lick Springs Hotel was initially built by Dr. William Bowles in 1845. It was later owned and operated by Thomas Taggart, a former mayor of Indianapolis, and his son, Thomas D. Taggart, from 1901 to 1946. The hotel has changed hands several times over the years and has been renovated and restored multiple times.
