A Valentine Excursion.

So, you are thinking about taking your sweetheart, girlfriend, wife or other somewhere special for Valentine’s, but don’t know where. Well, there is a hidden gem in Orange County, Indiana, that many do not know about. It’s called French Lick, Indiana. And if that should sound familiar to you, its most likely because you have heard it on the news before. That is where Larry Bird is from. Remember, they called him, “The Hick from French Lick.”

However, this story is about the French Lick Springs Resort. A beautiful old Victorian style hotel where people from all over the world come to visit or take a relaxing vacation and soak in the “miracle waters” from the natural sulfur springs on the grounds.

There are two hotels because there are two small, intertwined towns known as French Lick and West Baden Springs. The towns are literally approximately one mile apart. These were the iconic symbols of great economic achievement back in the early 1900’s for rural southern Indiana. The region of Orange County, Indiana, with its two small towns became a famed vacation and gathering place for wealthy and prominent society members.

In 1845 Dr. William Bowles built French Lick Springs Hotel, which drew guests from as far as 100 miles away to partake of the “miracle waters” from the sulfur springs. Both hotels have transformed numerous times due to fires, and different owners. They have been built and rebuilt and in the early 2000’s totally renovated.

When West Baden Springs Hotel first opened it was hailed as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by journalists because it included the world’s largest free-span dome which stretched 200 feet. At the time, it was largest dome until the Houston Astrodome was built.

There is so much to do at both hotels. And if you have never been, you need to see them. French Lick Springs Hotel has 443 guest rooms and suites. They have archery and several swimming pools, both indoor and outdoor. There are horse stables, and you can ride horses along trails. There is an indoor bowling alley and arcade. You can get a massage and there is a spa for the ladies too. There are high-end indoor shops and many different restaurants as well. If you stay at one hotel, you can also use amenities at the other hotel. There are also several hot tubs. They have added a new casino at the French Lick Springs Hotel, so you can play the slot machines all night if you wish.

The hotel is also one of the most haunted hotels in Indiana, as there have been many kinds of sightings in paranormal nature. There are two ghosts that are the most sighted on the premises. One is Thomas Taggart one of the hotels former owners. When Taggart died in 1916, strange things started happening around the hotel that many guests have seen. Another ghost appears to be a bellhop who still lingers around the hotel. Many guests believed the bellhop to be a current employee until they saw the very old photographs of him hanging on the walls around the hotel. When guests inquire about the bellhop during odd hours, they are informed that no bellhops were on duty at the time of the sighting.

The sixth floor is where Taggart is known to hang around. Guests have heard voices and smelled someone smoking around them when no one was near them.

These resorts have been in place since the 1800’s and they have accommodated many prestigious visitors. Many famous people who have stayed at French Lick Springs Hotel in Indiana, include presidents, actors, musicians, gangsters and golfers. 

Presidents

• Franklin D. Roosevelt: Gathered support for his presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in 1932 
• Harry S. Truman: Welcomed to the hotel by his close friend Thomas Taggart Jr. 
• Gerald Ford: Played golf and relaxed at the resort in the 1970s 
• Benjamin Harrison: The 23rd U.S. president visited the West Baden Springs Hotel in 1883 

Actors

• Lana Turner: A famous guest at the hotel 
• John Barrymore: Rumored to have visited, though there's no hard evidence 
• Greta Garbo: May have visited in the late 1920s or early 1930s 

Musicians 

• Louis Armstrong: Performed at the 1959 French Lick Jazz Festival
• Hoagy Carmichael: A famous guest at the hotel
• Duke Ellington: A famous guest at the hotel

Golfers 

• Walter Hagen: A legendary golfer who competed at the hotel
• Jim Barnes: A legendary golfer who competed at the hotel

Other famous people

• Bing Crosby: A famous guest at the hotel 
• Bob Hope: A famous guest at the hotel 
• Douglas MacArthur: A renowned American general who visited the hotel 
• Ronald Reagan: Visited the hotel as a spokesperson for General Electric in the 1950s
   

Al Capone, John Dillinger, Adlai E. Stevenson, the Marx Brothers, Joe Louis, Bud Abbott, and Lou Costello.

          So, you see. These hotels have everything one could want to experience. So, what are you waiting for, take your sweetheart here for Valentine’s Day, she will love you for it.