By Russ Brown • Photos provided by French Lick Resort
Mention French Lick or West Baden Indiana and the first thing that comes to mind for many people is hometown hero Larry Bird, who grew up there and started at Indiana State University, then led the Boston Celtics to three NBA championships (1981, ‘84, ‘86).
Bird has always been proud of his heritage, so during his playing days he frequently brought teammates to town to show it off. Bill Walton, who lives in San Diego, played at UCLA and wasn’t familiar with life in a small Midwestern town, visited one year and later described it to Sports Illustrated this way:
“I’ll never forget that trip,” Walton said. “The sun was just coming up and we’re sitting in Larry’s house. His mom was cooking us breakfast. Then all of a sudden a bunch of his buddies pull in, back from a hunting trip. The back of the truck was full of deer and empty bottles of Jack Daniel’s. That’s French Lick in a nutshell.”
Well, not quite, not by a longshot these days. In the 80’s it was nice, but rough around the edges. Now, after more than a half-billion dollars spent on various projects, it’s a popular tourist destination that attracts travelers from all over the country to its two grand hotels and a newer, smaller facility. The crown jewels are the French Lick Springs Resort and Spa and the nearby West Baden Springs Hotel, both of which have experienced numerous upgrades since Walton visited nearly 40 years ago.
The world-class resort is nestled in a bucolic valley in the Hoosier National Forest. French Lick Springs Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, while the luxurious West Baden Springs Hotel, a National Historic Landmark, consistently makes Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best Places to Stay in the World” and has been ranked the No. 1 Hotel in Indiana by US News & World Report. The two hotels, about one mile apart, are linked by walking trails and trolley shuttles. Valley Tower opened in 2019, offering modern and spacious accommodations.
It’s like stepping back in time. Even after many visits, my wife and I always remark that we can’t believe we are still in Indiana.
Best of all, for residents of the Louisville area it’s a perfect family-friendly “staycation” destination that has lots to offer for all ages. It’s an easy 1:15-1:30 drive. Just head west on I-64 across the Sherman Minton Bridge into Floyds Knobs, take the Ind. 150 exit toward Paoli and follow it through rolling hills and farms to French Lick. You’ll be glad you did. It can be a day trip or a long weekend because there is plenty to keep you busy, or if you prefer, very relaxing.
There are 45 holes of golf on the 3,000-acre complex, including the fully restored 1917 Donald Ross Course and the 18-hole Pete Dye Championship Course, two world-class spas, Vegas-style gambling at the French Lick Casino, horseback riding, activities for kids and 169,000 square feet of meeting space.
But before getting into a little more detail about what the resort has to offer, a crash course in the rich, colorful history of the area will let you enjoy your visit even more. Since its founding nearly three centuries ago, it has been filled with intrigue, adventure and decadence.
The origin of the town’s name is believed to have come from its early French settlers and the “mineral licks.” French traders came to the area and discovered mineral springs. The first tourists began arriving to drink the mineral water, called Pluto Water after the Greek god of the underworld, and to take advantage of the healing properties of the town’s three sulfur springs.
In 1887, tourism to the isolated area boomed when the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway established an extension of its line (called the Monon Railroad).
During Prohibition, high rollers were lured by approximately nine illegal casinos in the area, two of which were owned by politicians of both parties. Al Capone was among the gangsters who made the trip from Chicago, and mob boss “Big Jim” Colosimo was married there. He didn’t enjoy much of a honeymoon though because a week later he was gunned down in Chicago.
Casino gambling became legal in the Hoosier state in 1993 and the French Lick Casino opened on Nov. 3, 2006, surrounded by a small pond due to a state law allowing only water-based gaming. Designed as a riverboat, it was nicknamed the “Boat in the Moat.” In 2008, it became Indiana’s first land-based casino.
Celebrities who are known to have visited include the ultra-rich and famous Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and Studebakers, plus Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bob Hope, Lana Turner and Bing Crosby. The resort had a lighted baseball field (replaced by a new one this year) that a number of major league teams used for spring training in the early 1900s -- the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Browns and Cardinals.
During the depression, the West Baden Hotel closed and the owner donated it to the Society of Jesus as a seminary. It later hosted Northwood Institute before becoming dormant and falling into sad disrepair. In 2005, Bill and Gayle Cook of the Cook Group, a medical devices company in Bloomington, Ind., purchased both resorts and united them. The Cooks and their son Carl then spent millions of dollars renovating both properties and sparking a renaissance that was aided by the return of gambling.
The colossal 243-room West Baden Hotel, built in 1902, features a 200-foot dome with a beautiful red-painted steel and glass ceiling covering its atrium. At 195 feet in diameter and 130 feet high, it was considered an architectural marvel and dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, remaining as the largest free-spanning dome in the U.S. until the Coliseum was built in Charlotte, N.C. in 1955.
Here are a few of the other resort highlights awaiting visitors.
There are several separate areas for guests to enjoy in the French Lick Springs Resort, which is “kid friendly”, with indoor and outdoor pools, a bowling alley and an ice cream shop that also has a Starbucks, along with pastries and sandwiches. The best spot in the hotel for family meals are The Power Plant Bar and Grill, which has a wide variety of choices and a full bar. But there are many other casual options, including Grand Colonnade for a large breakfast buffet, and the Valley Bar and Grill.
For those guests with a taste for upscale dining, the 1785 Steakhouse is excellent, as are Sinclair’s in the West Baden Hotel and The Mansion at the Pete Dye Course, which offers sunset dinner on a hill with a 40-mile panoramic view.
Among the resort’s attractions besides the aforementioned golf courses and stables, are other outdoor activities such as a bicycle and pony track, the French Lick Railroad train, a concert venue, shops, hiking trails and a number of tours. Off the resort, the French Lick Winery is popular, as are a miniature golf course in town and the Indiana Railway Museum at the old depot.
Bill Walton should make a return visit. He might not recognize the place.
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