French Lick Springs Hotel

French Lick Springs Hotel is a historic resort hotel in French Lick, Orange County, Indiana. It developed around mineral springs that were promoted for their therapeutic properties and became one of the best-known resort destinations in the American Midwest. The hotel is part of the French Lick Resort complex, which also includes the restored West Baden Springs Hotel, a casino, restaurants, a spa, conference facilities, golf courses, and other leisure amenities. The property originated in the nineteenth century near a salt lick used by wildlife and Native American travelers along the Buffalo Trace. Thomas Bowles and his brother William A. Bowles acquired a large tract containing the springs in 1832. Thomas Bowles is generally credited with developing the first hotel on the site around 1845, although the precise opening date is uncertain. The early establishment operated primarily as a seasonal inn. Physician and patent-medicine promoter John A. Lane leased the property in 1846 and agreed to enlarge and improve it. Lane later developed the competing West Baden Springs Hotel, helping create a long-running rivalry between the two neighboring resorts. During the second half of the nineteenth century, French Lick Springs Hotel evolved from a modest inn into a substantial health resort. Its mineral springs included Bowles Spring, later called Lithia Spring, Proserpine Spring, and the prominent Pluto's Well. The resort promoted mineral water, baths, and related treatments as remedies for numerous ailments. The property changed hands several times, expanded in the 1880s and 1890s, and was connected to the regional railroad network when the Monon Railroad extended service to French Lick and West Baden. A major hotel building known as the Windsor was destroyed by fire in 1897 and subsequently rebuilt on a larger scale. The hotel's most influential period came under Thomas Taggart, a former mayor of Indianapolis, Democratic National Committee chairman, and later United States senator. Taggart joined an investment group that acquired the property in 1901 and became its controlling owner soon afterward. From 1901 through 1929, and under the continuing involvement of his son Thomas D. Taggart until 1946, the resort received extensive architectural, infrastructure, and recreational improvements. New and remodeled wings, a bath and recreation building, dining and entertainment spaces, a spa, gardens, transportation connections, and guest facilities transformed it into an upscale destination for affluent travelers, politicians, entertainers, and business figures. The resort also became associated with Pluto Water, a trademarked mineral-water product bottled on or near the property and distributed beyond the hotel. Marketed with the slogan “If Nature Won't, Pluto Will,” Pluto Water was promoted particularly for its laxative effect. The hotel additionally developed a reputation for golf, conventions, music, fine dining, and other leisure activities. It employed many African-American workers, a significant portion of whom came from Kentucky, and supported a Negro league baseball team known as the French Lick Plutos. The area also hosted professional baseball spring training during the early twentieth century. After the 1929 stock-market crash, changing consumer preferences, the Great Depression, and increased competition weakened the resort's traditional health-spa business. Management emphasized golf, recreation, and conventions in an effort to maintain its customer base. Ownership changed repeatedly after the Taggart era. The property was sold to New York investors in 1946, its Pluto Water operations were separated in 1948, and it became part of Sheraton in 1954 under the name French Lick-Sheraton Hotel. Later owners included Cox Hotel Corporation, Kenwood Financial, the Luther James family, and Boykin Lodging. A major revival began when local residents, preservationists, and business interests campaigned for legalized casino gaming in the area. Indiana legislation authorizing gaming was approved in 2003, followed by local approval and a licensing process. A partnership of Indiana business interests ultimately received the casino license. The Cook Group acquired the hotel from Boykin Lodging in 2005, and the property was restored as part of a reported $382 million resort and casino development. The renovated hotel and casino opened on November 3, 2006. The historic hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, and its distinctive buff-colored brick architecture remains a defining feature of the French Lick Resort complex.

The site of French Lick Springs Hotel was associated with a salt lick near the Buffalo Trace, a route used by wildlife, Native American travelers, and later settlers. The name French Lick reflects the presence of French traders and settlers in the surrounding area. Indiana authorized an attempt to mine local salt deposits in 1826, but the deposits were not commercially sufficient. Thomas Bowles and his brother William A. Bowles purchased approximately 1,500 acres containing the springs in 1832. Thomas Bowles subsequently developed an inn, generally believed to have opened around 1845. The early hotel was a relatively small seasonal establishment. In 1846 Bowles leased it to John A. Lane, who agreed to enlarge and improve the facilities. Lane later purchased land near another spring and established West Baden Springs Hotel, creating competition between the two resorts. Bowles resumed management in the early 1850s, and after his death in 1873 the property was operated by lessees and estate representatives. Physician Joseph G. Rogers named the principal spring Pluto's Well in 1869. The property was enlarged and improved during the 1880s and 1890s. Hiram E. Wells and James M. Andrews acquired it after a sheriff's sale connected with a dispute over the Bowles estate. Wells later sold the hotel to Louisville investors, who expanded the buildings and turned the operation into a year-round resort. The Monon Railroad's 1887 extension provided important transportation access. After the Windsor building burned in 1897, it was rebuilt on a more ambitious scale. Thomas Taggart became the central figure in the hotel's development after an investment group acquired the property in 1901. Taggart soon consolidated ownership and invested heavily in the resort. The main wing was redesigned and enlarged in 1901–02, and additional annex, west, deluxe, and north wings followed from 1905 through 1925. These projects added guest rooms, restaurants, bars, offices, shops, entertainment areas, conference spaces, and family accommodations. Taggart also modernized utilities and transportation, adding electricity, fresh water, trolley service, a railroad spur, and regular passenger service from Chicago. Bath facilities, spring pavilions, gardens, a bottling plant, a power station, and service buildings supported the resort's expansion. At its height, the hotel attracted approximately 150 to 200 arriving guests per day and became a major employer in the region. Its clientele included prominent political figures, business leaders, entertainers, and socialites. The resort's attractions extended beyond health treatments to include golf, horseback riding, tennis, swimming, bowling, billiards, dancing, orchestral music, and fine dining. It also became associated with Pluto Water, a bottled mineral-water business promoted nationally and internationally. The resort's history also includes gambling and racial labor history. Illegal gambling operated in the French Lick and West Baden area during the early twentieth century despite Indiana law. In 1904 Governor Frank Hanly led a raid that seized gambling equipment and resulted in legal action involving local hotel owners. The property employed substantial numbers of African-American workers, many recruited from Kentucky. During the early 1900s it fielded the Negro league baseball team French Lick Plutos, while French Lick also served as a spring-training location for professional baseball teams until the 1940s. Following the 1929 market crash and during the Great Depression, the resort's health-oriented business declined. Management increasingly emphasized golf and conventions while keeping the hotel open. Thomas D. Taggart sold the property to New York investors in 1946, and the Pluto Water operation was separated from the resort in 1948. Sheraton acquired the hotel in 1954 and renamed it French Lick-Sheraton Hotel. Later owners included Cox Hotel Corporation, Kenwood Financial, the Luther James family, and Boykin Lodging. The modern revival depended on historic preservation, local advocacy, and the legalization of casino gaming. Orange County residents, the Cook Group, Boykin Lodging, and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana supported legislation permitting gaming in the area. After the law was approved in 2003 and a local referendum passed, the casino-license process was conducted again after the initial selection involving The Trump Organization did not proceed. An Indiana-based business partnership received the license in 2005. Cook Group purchased the hotel on April 13, 2005, and undertook a large restoration and resort expansion. The renovated hotel, casino, and related facilities opened on November 3, 2006. The hotel remains a component of French Lick Resort, whose facilities include lodging, gaming, dining, a spa, golf, recreation, and conference services.

• 2006

  Restored resort reopens

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The renovated hotel and adjoining casino complex opened on November 3.

• 2005

  Cook Group purchases the hotel

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Cook Group acquired the property during preparations for a major restoration and casino-resort project.

• 2003

  Historic designation and gaming legislation

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, while Indiana approved legislation enabling casino gaming in the area.

• 1954

  Sheraton acquires and renames the hotel

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Sheraton acquired the property and operated it as the French Lick-Sheraton Hotel.

• 1946

  Taggart family sells the resort

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas D. Taggart sold the property to New York investors.

• 1929

  Thomas D. Taggart assumes ownership

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  After Thomas Taggart's death, his son Thomas D. Taggart became the owner during the beginning of the resort's long decline.

• 1901

  Thomas Taggart era begins

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas Taggart joined the acquiring investment group and soon became the property's dominant owner.

• 1901

  Main wing is redesigned

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The principal wing was enlarged and redesigned, helping establish the hotel's later architectural character.

• 1897

  Windsor hotel building is destroyed by fire

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  A major hotel building burned and was rebuilt on a larger scale.

• 1887

  Monon Railroad reaches the resort area

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Rail service was extended to French Lick and West Baden, improving access for visitors.

• 1869

  Pluto's Well is named

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Physician Joseph G. Rogers gave the resort's best-known mineral spring the name Pluto's Well.

• 1845

  First hotel is developed

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas Bowles is generally credited with establishing the first hotel on the property around this year, although the exact opening date is uncertain.

• 1832

  Bowles family acquires the spring property

  [1]French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas Bowles and William A. Bowles acquired a large tract that included the mineral springs and future hotel site.

Historic American resort combining heritage architecture, mineral-spring traditions, upscale lodging, leisure activities, and casino entertainment.

• Lodging · 1845

  Historic guest accommodations

  The hotel provides lodging within a historically significant resort building characterized by buff-colored brick, multiple connected wings, restored public spaces, and heritage-oriented guest experiences. The 2000s restoration updated the hotel's approximately 443 guest rooms while retaining the property's historic identity.

• Wellness · 1845

  Mineral-spring spa and baths

  Mineral springs and bathing were the foundation of the resort's original business model. Springs including Pluto's Well, Bowles or Lithia Spring, and Proserpine Spring supported nineteenth- and early twentieth-century health treatments. The modern resort continues the wellness tradition through spa facilities, although historical medical claims are not equivalent to contemporary clinical treatments.

• Bottled mineral water · 1900

  Pluto Water

  Pluto Water was the property's best-known commercial product. Bottled near the hotel, it was served to guests and distributed nationally and internationally. Its advertising emphasized laxative effects, including through the slogan “If Nature Won't, Pluto Will.” The Pluto Water operation was separated from the resort in 1948.

• Hospitality services · 1901

  Dining and entertainment

  The resort historically offered dining rooms, bars, dancing, orchestral music, shops, and social spaces. In its current resort configuration, food and beverage facilities support hotel guests, casino visitors, conference groups, and leisure travelers.

• Gaming and entertainment · 2006

  French Lick Resort Casino

  The casino is an adjacent component of the modern French Lick Resort complex. Its development followed Indiana legislation and local approval for gaming, and it opened alongside the restored hotel in 2006. It represents the resort's transition from a traditional mineral-spring hotel into an integrated destination combining lodging, gaming, dining, and leisure.

• 1904

  State raid over illegal gambling

  Indiana Governor Frank Hanly led a raid at the hotel and seized gambling equipment amid concerns about illegal casino activity in French Lick. The state pursued legal action involving Thomas Taggart and West Baden owner Lee Sinclair, but the case became protracted after a change in governors.

  Source

Read more

• 2003French Lick gaming legalization campaign

  Indiana

  Orange County residents, preservation advocates, Cook Group interests, and Boykin Lodging supported a campaign for state authorization of casino gaming as a means of revitalizing the historic resort economy.

  Outcome. Indiana approved the necessary legislation in 2003, and a local referendum subsequently passed, enabling the casino-resort redevelopment.

  Source
• 1900Pluto Water promotion

  United States · International

  The resort promoted and commercially distributed bottled Pluto Water, presenting it as a distinctive mineral-water product associated with the hotel's springs.

  Outcome. Pluto Water became a nationally and internationally distributed product before its operations were separated from the resort in 1948.

  Source

• 2005

  Cook Group acquisition and redevelopmentM&A

  Background

  Boykin Lodging owned the hotel during the effort to secure a gaming license and finance a major restoration.

  Action taken

  Cook Group purchased the hotel and participated in the wider resort and casino redevelopment.

  Aftermath

  The restored hotel and casino complex opened in November 2006 and became part of the modern French Lick Resort.

  Source

• 2003

  Pursuit of an integrated casino resortStrategy

  Background

  Local stakeholders sought a new economic and preservation model for the historic hotel and surrounding resort properties.

  Action taken

  After gaming legislation, a referendum, and a licensing process, Indiana business interests pursued a casino license connected to the French Lick redevelopment.

  Aftermath

  The resulting casino and restoration project supported the hotel's reopening in 2006 as part of a broader destination resort.

  Reported total restoration and casino project cost. $382 million (2005–2006)

  Source

• 1954

  Conversion to a chain-operated hotelStrategy

  Background

  After the Taggart family's ownership and the postwar decline of the traditional resort model, the property required new capital and operating support.

  Action taken

  Sheraton acquired the property and operated it under the French Lick-Sheraton name.

  Aftermath

  Sheraton invested substantially in the facilities, but later accounts describe continuing deterioration before subsequent ownership changes.

  Source

• 1929

  Shift from health resort toward recreation and conventionsStrategy

  Background

  The stock-market crash, the Great Depression, and growing competition weakened the traditional mineral-spring health-resort model.

  Action taken

  Management emphasized golf, recreation, and convention business while continuing to operate the hotel.

  Aftermath

  The repositioning helped the property remain open, although the resort entered a long period of ownership changes and physical decline.

  Source

1. 1French Lick Springs Hotelen.wikipedia.org