Historical Blog | French Lick Resort

In 1901, fire tore through the grand West Baden Springs Hotel. Owner Lee Sinclair was ruined. Would he rebuild again? Could he?

Historic 1918 Circus Train Wreck Had Ties to West Baden
 

The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was the second largest circus in the country, but one fateful night the worst train wreck in the U.S. changed the course of history.

The Life of Charles Edward Ballard
 

This poor boy had a Midas touch. From gambling clubs to circuses to the West Baden Springs Hotel, Ed Ballard could make a business flourish. But in the end that ability led to his shocking death.

The Life of Lillian Sinclair
 

She lived a life of privilege as the only child of Lee and Caroline Sinclair, but Lillian always knew what she wanted. And usually, she got it!

In the Swim of Things:
The Natatorium
 

This two-story indoor swimming pool was the talk of not only the town, but the entire country. Today, it has been restored back to a state-of-the-art facility.

One Ringy-Dingy:
Celebrating Emma Nutt Day
 

Celebrating a day named for the world’s first female telephone operator leads to the exploration of the development of French Lick Resort’s Call Center.

The Life and Death of Lee Sinclair
 

A successful Hoosier businessman, Lee Sinclair owned a bank, a woolen factory, and served in the Indiana House of Representatives before establishing West Baden Springs Hotel as a fashionable resort.

Twice the Fun at the Double Decker Bicycle Track
 

West Baden Springs Hotel was once home to a one-of-a-kind double decker bicycle track which had the added bonus of a baseball field located in the center.

Remembering the Sprudels:
West Baden’s Baseball Team
 

Around the turn of the 20th century, West Baden had its own baseball team managed by C.I. Taylor – one of the two greatest baseball managers of all time.

History is Made as Bicentennial Torch Travels Through
French Lick Resort
 

Indiana’s Bicentennial was celebrated with plenty of fanfare as the torch made its way through the resort grounds last September.

Remembering The Plutos:
French Lick’s Baseball Team
 

French Lick also had its own baseball team – the French Lick Springs Plutos, named after the hotel’s red devil mascot.

Buffalo Trace: The Frontiersmen’s Inland Highway
 

Take a brief look at the history of the Buffalo Trace that wends through our region.

National Pizza Month
Has Regional Ties
 

October is National Pizza Month; a special month-long celebration that was founded in Southern Indiana.

Remembering Sam Townsley
 

For over half a century, Sam Townsley made French Lick Resort guests feel special and welcomed.

Remembering Ten Years of Milestones at French Lick Resort
 

A look back at resort events and happenings over the past ten years in celebration of French Lick Resort’s 10th anniversary.

It’s A Mystery –
Angels in the Dome
 

The Angel Room has existed for over a century but those who created this hallowed place remain a mystery.

A Decade’s Change
 

Ten years have brought a stunning amount of change to the towns of French Lick and West Baden along with the amazing growth and popularity of French Lick Resort.

Chicago Cubs and Their
West Baden Connection
 

It’s been 108 years since the Cubbies won the World Series. But during their 1907 and 1908 wins, the team gave a nod to West Baden Springs Hotel for assisting in those sweeps.

Presidents Who Have
Visited French Lick Resort
 

Thanks, in part, to owner Tom Taggart’s original pull with the National Democratic Committee, several U.S. presidents have visited the resort over the years.

The Mystery of the Bathing Beauty
 

It all began with an unidentified photo hanging on a wall in the hotel. But now, almost 60 years later, the identity of the bathing beauty has been solved.

On the Road to Wellness
 

A look back at 170 years of health and wellness at French Lick Resort.

When the Circus Came Home
to West Baden
 

The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was the second largest circus in the U.S. during the 1920’s, and West Baden, Indiana was its winter home.