West Baden's Forgotten Palace: The Eighth Wonder of the World

When it was completed in 1902, the West Baden Springs Hotel in southern Indiana boasted the largest free-span dome in the entire world - larger than the Roman Pantheon, larger than any cathedral dome in Europe. Visitors called it the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Built in less than a year by a young architect nobody believed in, this massive glass and steel structure rose from a tiny farming community of 1,700 people, transforming it into one of America's most exclusive resort destinations.

Wealthy guests arrived by railroad from across the country to "take the waters" - mineral springs that the local doctor prescribed in precise doses, complete with walking sticks to mark the outdoor privies scattered throughout the elaborate gardens. The resort physician's orders: walk, exercise, and drink the springs that acted as powerful laxatives. For decades, the French Lick and West Baden Springs Hotels dominated luxury travel in the Midwest, drawing the wealthy elite who expected the finest accommodations and the latest medical treatments nature could provide.

But architectural marvels don't survive on grandeur alone. After World War II, the resort fell into decline. It became a Jesuit seminary for 30 years, then a struggling college, and finally sat abandoned for 13 years - vandalized, collapsing, with animals nesting in the once-grand rooms. The sixth floor collapsed entirely. The dome that had astonished the world seemed destined for demolition.

Then came the billionaire philanthropists who wrote a blank check for authentic restoration. Today, TripAdvisor ranks West Baden as the fifth-best hotel in America. In this episode, we meet county historian Jeff Lane in the massive atrium beneath that 200-foot dome to trace the incredible rise, devastating fall, and remarkable resurrection of Indiana's forgotten palace - complete with the mysterious "Angel Room" hidden at the dome's peak that almost no one has ever seen.

Timeline of West Baden Springs Hotel:

• 1845: First hotel built by Dr. William A. Bowles at French Lick mineral springs
• 1887: Monon Railroad extends spur line, making resort accessible
• 1901: Construction begins on West Baden Springs Hotel under owner Lee Sinclair
• October 1902: First brick laid
• August 1902: Hotel completed in less than one year - fastest construction of its kind
• 1902-1930s: Golden age as luxury resort, known as "Eighth Wonder of the World"
• 1934: Property sold, becomes Jesuit seminary (St. Joseph College)
• 1934-1964: Operates as seminary with up to 500 students and priests
• 1964: Jesuit ownership ends due to declining enrollment
• 1964-1983: Becomes Northwood Institute (private liberal arts college)
• 1971: Pluto Water bottling ceases after lithium traces discovered
• 1983-1996: Property sits vacant for 13 years - vandalism, decay, partial collapse
• 1996: Bill and Gayle Cook purchase property, begin restoration planning
• 2004-2005: Major restoration completed
• 2023: TripAdvisor names it one of top five hotels in America

Key Figures:

• Dr. William A. Bowles - Built first hotel at French Lick springs in 1845
• Lee Sinclair - Owner who commissioned the 1902 West Baden Springs Hotel
• Harrison Albright - Young architect from Charleston, West Virginia who designed the impossible dome
• Oliver Westcott - Bridge engineer who solved the dome engineering challenges with expandable trusses on casters
• Chef Louis Perrin - Invented tomato juice at French Lick in 1917 when oranges ran out
• Thomas Taggart - Manager who allegedly turned away Al Capone at the door
• Bill and Gayle Cook - Billionaire philanthropists from Bloomington, Indiana who purchased and restored both properties
• Jeff Lane - Current county historian and tour coordinator
• Dan Frotcher - Resort historian (featured in Part 2)

Architectural Marvel: The West Baden dome held the record as the world's largest free-span dome from 1902 until the Houston Astrodome was built in the 1960s. At 200 feet in diameter and 100 feet tall, it was constructed using innovative bridge engineering - the steel trusses sit on casters (like roller skate wheels) at the top of each column, allowing the structure to expand and contract with temperature changes. No known architect of the day would take on the project because they believed it was impossible.

The Mineral Water Business: Both hotels featured "sprudel water" (German for "sparkling water") - mineral springs that wealthy guests believed had healing powers. House physicians prescribed exact amounts of water to drink daily, and guests walked the gardens with decorative walking sticks that doubled as markers for the outdoor privies when nature called (the water worked fast as a powerful laxative). The French Lick spring produced "Pluto Water," commercially bottled and sold nationwide until 1971 when chemists discovered traces of lithium, making it a controlled substance.

The Mystery Angel Room: At the very top of the dome, accessible only by leaving the building, walking across the roof, and climbing over the glass panels, there exists a mysterious room containing giant angel portraits painted by an unknown Renaissance-inspired artist. Very few people have ever seen these paintings in person. Historian Jeff Lane, despite decades of work at the property, refuses to visit due to extreme fear of heights - you're 110 feet up, walking over glass skylights that could break beneath your feet.

Visit Information: The West Baden Springs Hotel and French Lick Springs Resort remain open today as luxury destination properties. Tours are available Mondays at 11 AM in March, May, and September. The property includes three hotels, three golf courses, stables, casino, spa facilities, and over 3,000 acres of grounds. Special events include vintage automobile shows in May (National Preservation Month) and vintage baseball games in September.

Every hometown has a story - tonight, it's the glass palace that refused to die. New episodes every Tuesday.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/hometownhistory/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy