What I did on my summer vacation - Part One

I am still in Madison, Indiana and will be headed back to Lake Worth towards the later part of August.  In the meantime, I thought it would be good to share some of the experiences that relate to historic preservation and planning that I have had during the time away.

The first edition is my trip to West Baden Springs, Indiana.  The historic resort is AMAZING!  This is the second time I have been there and have highlighted it in 2007 on this blog after my first visit.  It's worth another look and there is a new video that you can watch which summarizes what it was and is.  This video was produced by the resort itself.

Here is a slide show of my visit there.

I am concerned about the future economic viability of the building and its operation as a resort.  When I visited in late June, there were not many people there and I got the sense that the economic times that have affected everyone else have taken their toll here too.  The reason for its initial decay and under-utilization is still there - its remote location.  Gambling was approved in Orange County as a way to provide an economic engine for the hotel, but that apparently has its limits.  I would urge you to set aside time to travel and stay there to support the maintenance of this magnificent building - and have a good time while you help preserve one of our nation's unique historic structures.

Here's a video on the mineral water that made the resort famous.