Under his ownership, the French Lick Springs Hotel flourished and expanded, especially after the railroad built a spur to the hotel grounds and began offering daily service to and from Chicago. In 1901, Indiana politician Tom Taggart bought the property and started building the hotel that stands today. Sadly, the original hotel burned down in 1897. With that act, the water from French Lick’s mineral springs came to be known as Pluto Water. Joseph Rogers analyzed the springs and dubbed the largest of them ‘Pluto’s Well,’ after the Roman god of the underworld. People of that era also believed bathing in the springs could cure things like gout and arthritis. The sulfurous-smelling water in those springs was full of sodium, magnesium sulfate, and lithium salts, which, when ingested, acted as a powerful laxative that was effective in as little as an hour. Bowles was hoping to capitalize on visitors flocking to the area to take advantage of the 13 local mineral springs, which were believed to have healing powers. The History French Lick Springs Hotelīack in 1845, local physician William Bowles built a three-story lodge in French Lick and named it the French Lick Springs Hotel. It’s a unique resort with a fascinating backstory.

Settle back and let me tell you everything you need to know about the French Lick Resort. From its glamorous origins as a destination of choice for socialites, celebrities, and presidents to its recent transformation into a luxurious yet accessible resort (its largely midwestern clientele likes to keep things super casual these days), this is a destination that truly has something for everyone.

My family first discovered the French Lick Resortseveral years ago and I’ve been raving about it ever since to anyone who’ll listen. Get me started talking about Indiana’s French Lick Resort and I can go on and on and on. ‘Have I told you about French Lick?’ I typed back, wondering if she knew what she was in for. ‘We need to go somewhere for our anniversary,’ a friend texted me recently. Drive a few hours north from Nashville and you’ll encounter a delightful surprise nestled in the hills of southern Indiana: two turn-of-the-century grand hotels, painstakingly restored to their former glory.

Casino near french lick