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| Lee Sinclair and Rex |
By
Joy Neighbors
Dateline:
September 7, 1916
Lee
Wiley Sinclair was a successful Hoosier businessman who owned the Bank of Salem
in Salem, Indiana for years before purchasing the West Baden Springs Hotel in
1888. Sinclair saw that it could be a money-maker
if taken from a country inn and reshaped into a holiday resort. With
his goals firmly in place, Sinclair began the rapid expansion of creating an American icon.
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| West Baden Springs Hotel 1901 |
In
1894, another 200 guest rooms were added, bringing the room count up to 350.
Two years later construction began on the casino located directly across the street from
the hotel. By 1898, Sinclair had added a two story natatorium and a full-sized
baseball field. The hotel now boasted several amenities including hydraulic
elevators, electric lights and steam heat - luxurious marvels for the day! Times were definitely looking up for
West Baden Springs Hotel but on June 14, 1901 tragedy struck.
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| Devastating Fire |
At
1 a.m. fire was discovered in the hotel kitchen. It took only 15 minutes to
clear 268 guests out of the hotel, thanks in part to a new fire escape
that had recently been attached to the east wing. But few guests escaped with
their possessions, most with only the clothing on their backs. Sinclair helped
evacuate guests and then assisted in fighting the blaze. More than 450,000
gallons of water was pumped onto the building in an attempt to squelch the
flames but efforts proved useless. By 3 a.m. the hotel and several outer
buildings had been destroyed. (It was later reported that the glow from the
blaze could be seen as far as Louisville, Kentucky, more than 80 miles away.)
Losses were estimated to be half-a-million dollars but insurance would only
cover $100,000; it appeared this was the end of the elegant resort-style hotel.
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| Charles Rexford, Caddy Sinclair, Lillian Sinclair and Lee Sinclair |
Sinclair was devastated. At his age he wasn’t sure that he wanted to rebuild; he believed that his dream was over. But Sinclair’s daughter Lillian convinced him to try again. This time to construct the hotel of his dreams; one that would be even more astounding than the structure just
lost.
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| West Baden Springs Hotel 1902 |
By
the following week Sinclair had made up his mind. He publicly announced
he would rebuild and that this hotel would be not only fireproof but a one-of-a-kind marvel for all to see. True to his word Sinclair welcomed his first
guests to the new West Baden Springs Hotel on June 14, 1902. (Although the
public would not be able to stay there until September after
finishing touches were completed.) In April, 1903, a formal reopening ceremony was held. Lee Sinclair had done the impossible.
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| Guests "Taking the Waters" |
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| Lee Sinclair |
Then
on September 7, 1916, Lee Sinclair died at the age of 80. His wife Caroline and
daughter Lillian were devastated. Funeral services for Sinclair were held in
the atrium of his beloved West Baden Springs Hotel on Sunday September 10th.
Thousands of family and friends attended, along with many of the rich and famous who had stayed
at his hotel. Former and current employees, and most residents of
the towns of West Baden and French Lick also turned out. Lee Sinclair was laid to rest in the family
mausoleum located in Crown Hill Cemetery in Salem, Indiana. The end of an era
had come.