One of our recent out-of-state guests who played The Pete Dye Course came away pretty surprised at what Indiana had to offer.
Her words: “I never expected these mountains.”
OK, so “mountains” may be a stretch. But hey, in comparison
to Indiana and the rest of the Midwest, this is about as Rockies as it gets.
You’ve surely noticed it if you’ve played the sloping
terrain at the Dye Course, or been on one of the side streets that rise steeply
from the main highway through town. Go even higher, up to The Mansion at Pete
Dye, and you’re treated to 40-mile vistas at Mt. Airie. At times, it seems like
you’re not in Indiana — more like the rolling hills of Tennessee or North
Carolina instead.
 |
| The Pete Dye statue always enjoys a great view of the 40-miles vistas that surround the Dye Course. |
We love being a little different here, but why exactly does the terrain here look so un-Indiana? That’s the first of a couple questions we’re clearing up in a little geography lesson today, and for answers, we’re going straight to a professional — Robin Rupp, with the Indiana Geological & Water Survey at Indiana University.
As Robin explains, we’re uniquely situated right on the
border where the Pennsylvanian and Mississippian bedrock formations meet. Mix
in millions upon millions of years of erosion, and poof — you’ve got a steep hilltop
with a spectacular view.
“What gives you Mt. Airie and that French Lick area kind of
unique topography is the geology. The uplands there — Mt. Airie and the highest
part of your hills — are a very resistant sandstone, that’s a Pennsylvanian-aged,
pretty massive sandstone. And all the other formations below, most of them are
limestone, so they’re going to be more susceptible to erosion. That’s the ideal
factor in giving you this good relief and interesting terrain. That’s what’s
making that area kind of spectacular – that 500-foot difference between your
golf course and your valley.”
 |
| Trekking up the side streets in town can give you almost a bird's-eye view of the hotels — and it's a great workout if you're looking to take a walk or a jog nearby. |
And that leads us to another question: Is Mt. Airie among
the highest points in Indiana?
Even back in the resort’s early days, the former hotel
owners advertised it as such — surely in an effort to romanticize this
surrounding area. In 1915 when they were adding to West Baden Springs Hotel’s
amenities, the Sinclair family added a golf course on parts of the upper and
lower slopes of Mt. Airie, and in advertisements they touted it as being the
highest point in Indiana. And so the legend grew over the years. It’s often
been referred to as the highest point or the second-highest point.
In actuality? Robin puts the elevation at 906 feet. (Other
sources even have it below 900 feet.) And with the official state high point
(near the Indiana-Ohio border) being 1,257 feet and several other peaks in
southern Indiana being above 1,000 feet, Mt. Airie falls a little lower on that
list in reality.
But you won’t find many other places in Indiana with the
sharp elevation contrasts and the picturesque views — and that’s something that
has captivated resort guests as far back as 125 years ago. In 1895, a local
proprietor named Ed Buerk built an observation tower atop Mt. Airie back when
the area was mostly empty countryside. With a telescope for viewing, a
balustrade for outside viewing and a lunchroom on the bottom floor, the
eight-story Buerk’s Observatory became a popular place to visit for guests
staying at the nearby West Baden or French Lick hotels.
 |
| Built around 1895, Buerk's Observatory offered guests a great view from the top of Mt. Airie, complete with a balustrade and a telescope for viewing from the top of the eight-story structure. |
In the mid-1920s, Buerk’s Observatory was torn down to make
way for the mansion that French Lick Springs Hotel owner Thomas Taggart built
for his family on Mt. Airie (it’s believed that materials from the tower were
used in building a new horse barn on the new Taggart estate). Today, there’s
plenty to do on Mt. Airie’s peak, whether it’s playing 18 on the Pete Dye
Course, making a lunch reservation at the restored mansion, or booking a table
at the Sunset Dinner on Sundays.
Whether or not you’re a golfer, do yourself a favor and make
a stop up on Mt. Airie just to appreciate the panoramic vistas. Thanks to our
unique topography, it’s a view that can’t be beat.