Al Capone gambled at the casinos in French Lick and West Baden, and used underground tunnels to move around undetected. Al Capone was part of a shootout at West Baden Springs Hotel that left bullet holes in the side of the building. Al Capone had a “French Lick girlfriend” whom he’d always see when he was here. Al Capone got married in a barn a few miles outside French Lick, and he also owned a whiskey still out there for bootlegging. Folks from this area grew up hearing the stories from their parents and grandparents. Maybe you’ve even heard the tales during your visit to one of our hotels. There’s so many anecdotes about Al Capone using this area as a hideout spot that it has to be true. Or is it? Nobody has 100 percent, smoking-gun proof to solve the Capone riddle either way. But that just feeds even more into the juicy intrigue of this history mystery. So we’re dedicating a series of blogs in the next few weeks to try and shed some light on the debate: D...

Opening the Book on Long-Lost Hotel Guest Registries

Recovering pieces of our past is always exciting — and it’s even more exhilarating when it’s a surprise discovery. That happened a while back when we recovered these three old accounting journals used in the 1920s at French Lick and West Baden Springs Hotels. We discovered these relics after they had made their rounds at nearby antique shops, and now these historic registers will be among the special displays set up around the resort at Preservation Month coming up soon all throughout May. The smaller book in the middle of the stack is from West Baden Springs Hotel, detailing the hotel’s daily records from January 1, 1921 through September 30, 1923. Each day breaks down the earnings from hotel reservations, the cafeteria, grill, bar, bath (spa) and cigar stand. The cigar stand had a prominent location in the hotel — it was located right off the lobby, where the library is today. Both hotels prospered in the 1920s, even as prohibition was ...

Did Capone Hide Out Here? Another Side to the History Mystery

Maybe you’ve heard some of the tales. We’ve shared many of them in Part 1 and Part 2 in our blog series about whether Al Capone visited French Lick and West Baden Springs nearly 100 years ago. These stories, they’re good. But are they too good to be true? Those with a firm grasp on history tend to think the legend of Capone is nothing more than far-flung fiction. A good authority on the topic is Sandi Woodward, the Program Manager at Indiana Landmarks, which conducts the historical tours at both West Baden and French Lick Springs Hotels. With her fervor for history and Capone’s rumored connection to this area, Sandi has read up on Capone and traced his footsteps. She’s never seen anything that’s ever led him to French Lick. No photos. No credible accounts or reports. Sandi has devoted time of her own to searching for that elusive proof. Until someone produces that, Sandi’s pretty certain of one thing: “No. Al Capone was never here,” she says. “I’d love for it to ...

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