French Lick and West Baden Summer Snapshots, in Black and White

 

Summer's the season for travel. So how 'bout a little time travel? Here's some of our favorite vintage pictures highlighting summer life at French Lick and West Baden back in the day.

A peaceful moment in a shady corner of the French Lick Springs Hotel gardens.

A more wooded French Lick Springs Hotel gardens back in the day.

Summertime garden strolls in simpler times.

Horseback riding on the French Lick Springs Hotel grounds.

A snapshot from the fountain in the West Baden Springs Hotel gardens. The fountain you see in the garden today was recreated during restoration thanks to historic photos of this original version.

A favorite summer tradition among hotel guests was watching the West Baden Sprudels baseball team compete. There was a full-sized baseball diamond located inside the double-decker bicycle and pony track (below). The track was available for more active leisure, too. Guests could rent pony carts to ride on ground level. During the day, the upper deck was used as a bicycle track, which was regulation style and banked for high speeds. The structure was electrically lit at night and used for evening strolls.

Fun and games ruled the summer: tennis, croquet, skeet shooting ... even dog shows. 

Remember all these old pools at French Lick Springs Hotel? On the right is the pool at the Doll House, which former hotel owner Thomas D. Taggart built for his daughter, Eva, in 1925. Located up the hill from the hotel, this was the first swimming pool on the property. This photo is circa 1950.

Then came the cabana pool, which you couldn't miss — right on the front lawn near the hotel's entrance. This wasn't around for long in the 1960s and 70s during the era Sheraton owned the hotel.

And of course, who could forget this gem? The iconic domed pool opened in 1965 and was a staple until being removed during the hotel's restoration. What we would give to go back in time for one sunny summer pool day under the dome....

The Tom Bendelow Course (now Valley Links) in 1918.

A couple of long-lost styles here: the ivy on the side of West Baden Springs Hotel, and the knickers and berets worn by golfers playing the hotel's course.

Golfers at the West Baden course actually teed off on hole #1 from the hotel's front steps. With the course on the adjacent grounds, you always had a magnificent hotel view in the background.

And we're happy to report that relaxing on the veranda is a summertime tradition that never goes out of style here.