West Baden's Impossible Dome and Hidden Stories

In 1902, Lee Sinclair built the impossible: a 200-foot unsupported dome atrium—larger than the Pantheon—in just eight months, in a small Indiana town. The West Baden Springs Hotel was called the Eighth Wonder of the World, hosting presidents and gangsters, selling millions of bottles of mood-altering "Pluto Water," and operating as everything from an illegal casino disguised as a riverboat to a Jesuit seminary where priests are buried on the grounds.

This is Part 2 of our West Baden and French Lick story. After the Great Depression shuttered both grand hotels, they sat abandoned for decades. In 1991, part of West Baden's walls simply collapsed. Then came the miracle: a $600 million rescue by Indiana philanthropists Bill and Gayle Cook transformed these crumbling ruins into world-class resorts again—preserving angel paintings hidden in the dome's hub, 12 million marble mosaic tiles, and the power plant's original control panels.

Discover the hidden splendors of Indiana's forgotten resort empire—where architectural marvels, quirky cures, and American ambition created something that shouldn't exist. Subscribe to Hometown History for forgotten American stories every week. New episodes release Tuesdays. Every hometown has a story—what's yours?

Episode Highlights

• The Impossible Dome - Lee Sinclair built a 200-foot unsupported dome in 8 months (1901-1902) using 500 rail cars of brick after fire destroyed his original hotel
• The Pluto Water Cure - Resort bottled 3 shifts around the clock, earning $2 million annually by 1919 selling lithium-laced laxative "cure-all"
• Stealth Casino - French Lick Casino disguised as riverboat (complete with vinyl siding, smoke stacks, paddle wheels) to skirt gambling laws for 18 months
• FDR's 1931 Visit - Future president attended Democratic Governors Convention here, wheelchair and leg braces fully visible in rare photo
• The Angel Room - Mysterious 8-foot angel paintings hidden inside dome's steel hub, artist unknown, only accessible via 60-foot ladder climb
• Jesuit Seminary Years - West Baden operated as Catholic seminary 1934-1964, with 400 ordained priests and 36 buried on grounds
• The 1991 Collapse - 108-foot section of walls crumbled during 13-year abandonment, nearly destroying National Historic Landmark
• The Miraculous Rescue - Bill and Gayle Cook's $600 million restoration (2005-2007) saved both hotels from demolition

Key Locations

West Baden Springs Hotel - Orange County, Indiana

French Lick Springs Hotel - French Lick, Indiana

Current Status: Both operating as luxury resorts under French Lick Resort ownership

Timeline

• 1893 - Bicycle track athletic facility built (one-third mile oval track)
• 1901 - Fire destroys original wooden West Baden Hotel (June 14, 1 AM)
• 1901-1902 - New domed hotel constructed in 8 months with 500 workers
• 1902 - West Baden Springs Hotel opens with 200-foot dome (June 14)
• 1919 - Pluto Water sales peak at $2 million annually
• 1929 - Stock market crash leads to hotel closures
• 1932 - Edward Ballard shuts down West Baden permanently
• 1934 - Jesuits acquire property, operate as seminary through 1964
• 1987 - Designated National Historic Landmark by National Park Service
• 1991 - 108-foot section of walls collapse during abandonment
• 1996 - Indiana Landmarks acquires property with $250,000 donation
• 2005-2007 - Bill and Gayle Cook fund $600 million restoration
• 2007 - Hotels reopen as luxury French Lick Resort

Key Figures

Lee Sinclair - Original West Baden owner, built the impossible dome hotel after 1901 fire

Lillian Sinclair - Lee's daughter who encouraged him to rebuild based on European sketches

Edward Ballard - 1920s owner, gambler-turned-millionaire who lost hotel in Depression

Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Attended 1931 Democratic Governors Convention, gained party support for presidency

Bill and Gayle Cook - Philanthropists who funded massive restoration project

Dan Frotcher - French Lick Resort tour guide featured in episode

Jeff Lane - West Baden historian featured in Part 1

Notable Details

• Hotel originally claimed "708 rooms" by counting every closet and mop closet (actually 500 guest rooms)
• 12 million marble tiles installed at penny per piece ($120,000 total in 1901 dollars)
• Pittsburgh Pirates attempted spring training here but fields constantly flooded
• Players required to drink 2.5 gallons of mineral water daily
• Rookwood pottery fireplace surround authenticated through archived work order books
• Power plant bar features original marble switch panels from 1902 powerhouse
• Mobile app tours now available for both hotels (Apple/Google Play)

Sources

• French Lick Resort official tour with Dan Frotcher
• West Baden Springs Hotel archives
• Indiana Landmarks restoration documentation
• Rookwood Pottery Company archived work orders, Cincinnati Library
• 1930s newspaper articles (Pittsburgh Pirates spring training coverage)
• National Park Service National Historic Landmark designation files
• Hotel advertising materials (1902-1932)

Visit Information

French Lick Resort offers public tours of both hotels. Purchase tickets on-site or through FareHarbor online. Mobile app tours available via Indiana Landmarks app (Apple/Google Play). For tour information: indianalandmarks.org or contact Sandy via resort website.

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

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

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