By the mid-1990s, French Lick Spring Hotel, although still in operation,
was a mere shell of its former glory and the abandoned West Baden
Springs Hotel was literally crumbling to the ground. As with any great
comeback story it all started with people who refused to give up – local
volunteers and the folks at Indiana Landmarks. Seeing West Baden
Springs Hotel in complete ruin devastated the group whose mission it is
to save such cherished properties. Soon the Cook family, devoted
preservationists who themselves led the restoration of many Indiana
buildings, joined the cause and committed more than $500 million dollars
to not only save the West Baden Springs Hotel but also the French Lick
Springs Hotel. The Cook family wanted their preservation work to result
in living, breathing historic places that would be around for centuries
to come. Visit French Lick Resort to fully experience this “save of the
century.”