I would like to share with everybody the West Baden Springs Hotel in West Baden Indiana. Built in 1902 this hotel was for a while the 8th wonder of the modern world.
http://www.frenchlick.com/_images/_design/new_photos/west_baden_3.jpg
It's central atrium which was 200 feet in diameter and was capped by a huge dome 10 stories tall. The central atrium was called the Pompeii Court. The dome was the largest un-supported dome in the world until the Houston Astrodome opened in 1962.
Six stories of rooms have windows over looking the interior of the Pompeii Court. The Pompeii Court is ringed with massive faux marble columns holding up the massive dome. Beneath your feet the Pompeii Court contained a massive mosaic tile floor containing over a million tiles.
The Hotel was designed by architect Harrison Albright. Albright was most famous for his work with John D. Spreckles (one time owner of the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego). Harrison Albright designed the Spreckles Organ pavillion in San Diego's Balboa Park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Albright
Recently the West Baden Springs Hotel and it's neighboring French Lick Springs Hotel were unified. Together the two historic hotels under went a 380 million dollar restoration. A Casino was added to the French Lick Springs Hotel.
<some background about my connection> The way I found this hotel was when I was researching the itnerary for a trip that I gave my father. Back in 1996 I gave my father a trip back to the region in Southern Indiana where our family pioneered several of the small towns. My father was heavy into geneology at that time and it was a great trip for him. My family help found the nearby towns of Livonia, Mitchell, Campbellsburg and Hardinsburg Indiana.
