It's interesting to take a step back and see how far we've come.
Today we're taking a look back at more French Lick Resort advertisements from bygone days. When ads stressed that French Lick Springs Hotel was a fireproof building. (Both the original French Lick and West Baden hotels succumbed to fires, and building in general were highly susceptible to it a century ago.) When hotel rooms were marketed as being "light and airy" and opening windows was the only salvation before central air conditioning first arrived at hotels in 1950. When Pluto Water was the green tea of its day, trending huge as a health-conscious beverage. Case in point:
Pluto Water was marketed not only for its end result, but its speedy delivery: "It's swift but gentle as a lamb, too."
(Courtesy of "Pluto in the Valley: The History of the French Lick Springs Hotel" by Patrick O'Brian)
The ad above from the Travelers' Handbook is likely from some time in the early 1910s, as it touts being "new, modern" after the hotel was expanded to a six-story structure.
The fine print at the top emphasizes water from the sulphur springs being "especially beneficial in cases of rheumatic, scrofulous, chronic and nervous diseases." The picture below gives a better view of springs on the property.
Several of these ads suggest "write or wire" for more info or rates about the hotel or to make reservations. Imagine waiting a week or more to obtain that info. Thank you, Internet, for supplying instant access to all this now.
You know you've made it when everything from whiskey to paint to butter is marketed as "the kind used at French Lick."
French Lick Springs Hotel, first built as a small wood-framed structure in 1845, was able to expand its reach to Pennsylvania, New York and the rest of the East Coast with the emergence of rail travel. It wasn't until almost 50 years later that a contract with the Louisville, New Albany and Chicago Railroad boosted profits after several plateaued years. The boom in out-of-state guests intensified in 1907 when the Monon Railroad's French Lick Depot opened, allowing guests to be dropped off almost literally at the door at both the French Lick and West Baden hotels.
Now this is some persuasive marketing. Fear not, travelers: The air is rich in oxygen here the entire year, as opposed to those other places that are hit-and-miss with their oxygen. Lots going on with that sulphureted hydrogen, too. In the days before air conditioning, it was worth touting that "all rooms are outside rooms, light and airy" — as opposed to hotel setups like West Baden Springs Hotel and its inside-facing rooms on the inner ring of the atrium.
That's a wrap on our peek back in time — check out Part 1 of our retro ad series, if you missed the first installment!
Today we're taking a look back at more French Lick Resort advertisements from bygone days. When ads stressed that French Lick Springs Hotel was a fireproof building. (Both the original French Lick and West Baden hotels succumbed to fires, and building in general were highly susceptible to it a century ago.) When hotel rooms were marketed as being "light and airy" and opening windows was the only salvation before central air conditioning first arrived at hotels in 1950. When Pluto Water was the green tea of its day, trending huge as a health-conscious beverage. Case in point:
(Courtesy of "Pluto in the Valley: The History of the French Lick Springs Hotel" by Patrick O'Brian)
The fine print at the top emphasizes water from the sulphur springs being "especially beneficial in cases of rheumatic, scrofulous, chronic and nervous diseases." The picture below gives a better view of springs on the property.
That's a wrap on our peek back in time — check out Part 1 of our retro ad series, if you missed the first installment!