Thursday Doors – French Lick Edition

Travel with me today  as we drive east from the center of Illinois into our neighboring state, Indiana. In my younger days, before the dawning of the Age of GPS, I would look at a paper map and choose a route based solely on the limited number of options the route entailed. For example here is a route that requires remembering only 3 roads… From Springfield, Illinois, if you take Interstate 72 east, when you get to Decatur, IL, US Route 36 morphs out of I-72. Keep going east on US 36 until you get to US Route 150, not to far from the Indiana border. Turn right and stay on this road into Indiana. You will pass through or near some interestingly named towns: Paris, New Goshen, Saint Mary of the Woods, Toad Hop, Fort Knox, Loogootee, Shoals, Rusk, West Baden Springs, and then our final destination, French Lick!

French Lick was originally a French Trading Post, located near a spring and a salt lick. In 1840, a health spa was opened to capitalize on the sulfur springs located here. French Lick in the 20th century was popular for the casino action here. The French Lick Resort Casino was renovated in 2005/6, and reopened as a 3000 acre complex split between French Lick and West Baden Springs.

Did someone say, “West Baden Springs”?  If so, then this is the right place for my Thursday Doors subject, doors at the periphery of the Grand Atrium of the West Baden Springs Hotel.  If you would like a good history of this hotel, The Mrs has a great recap over on her blog HERE…

The doors I am highlighting are the doors that lead from the atrium to the Mineral Springs.

Thursday Doors is a wondrous opportunity afforded to door-a-philes every week by Norm 2.0. His site is located HERE, and links to other doors worldwide are attached in the comments section…. Check it out!!