Comments on: French Lick Sounds Kinda Dirty

By: Becca

Becca — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:18:56 +0000

I am a long-time transplant from Michigan. I will NEVER consider myself a Hoosier, although I have lived here most of my life. Yeah, I know about French Lick. Yeah, I know Larry Bird was born there. Big whoop. Can’t stand basketball either. The spa that is in French Lick is supposed to be really nice. Maybe I’ll go sometime. There used to be a liquor store in town named French Liquors. Now THAT is funny. My husband and I spend the larger part of our summers down by French Lick, but it is certainly NOT for the town, or for Larry Bird, or for the new casino or the spa. We go to camp at the nature sanctuary (Our Haven Nature Sanctuary) that is about 15 minutes outside town. Beautiful southern Indiana woods, listening to the birds, frogs, crickets, and critters. Now THAT is the life. Don’t worry about not “knowing” French Lick, Jennifer. There isn’t a Hoosier mandate on it. (rolling eyes)

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:39:15 +0000

This is my first foray into your blog today and I love your style. I am from Illinois originally and although I have heard of French Lick I didn't know about the Larry Bird thing so I think that should help your pain somewhat. I am subscribing to your blog... you make me laugh in a midwest / southern kind of way that I miss sometimes. I live in the west now and I dont think there is a French Lick California and if there were one, it would probably be something created by the porn industry. Matts last blog post..Best Flashlight Store

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:45:52 +0000

I just happened to stumble upon this (and I realize this comment is coming a couple months too late) and thought you might like to hear from someone who grew up next to French Lick. Here are a few tidbits that will make you look like you know all about French Lick.

West Baden and French Lick are basically the same town since they literally run into each other….they just have different post offices. And for some reason the school system is not named after either town, it is named Springs Valley. And Springs Valley High School is on Larry Bird Blvd. (When I was in school they had Larry’s old jersey hung up in the gym.) Various places around all of Orange County still boast old Larry Bird “treasures”…..and we all grow up knowing exactly where Larry Bird’s house is.

French Lick is not only the home of Larry Bird…..it also has Pluto water (which stinks to high heaven!) and the mineral springs. It is thought that the name French Lick may have come about from the “salt” the mineral water left on the rocks. The wild animals (deer mainly) would come and lick at the salt and create “Licks” which are found all around here. I guess that was combined with the French who had settled into this area to create French Lick…..apparently they didn’t have a dirty bone in their body! haha

The West Baden Resort (known to us locals as “the Dome”) was once the largest suspended dome in the world and considered the eight wonder of the world. It is a beautiful place that was once a college. It has an amazing design and they still give tours even though it has been re-opened to guest for a little while now.

The new casino is next to French Lick’s resort. The French Lick Resort was once one of the “it” places to be in the 1920’s. It is said that famous gangsters (Al Capone is supposed to have been one of them) use to come “hide out in the hills” at the resort when they needed to lay low for a while. There is also the rumor that there are secret tunnels out of the resort so that they could make a quick escape if needed.

Well, I hope you enjoyed your French Lick lesson! Don’t worry about not knowing….there are so many stories in the beautiful hills of Southern Indiana that you can live here all your life and still learn new ones!

By: » That’s what I get for letting him watch tv before age 3.

» That’s what I get for letting him watch tv before age 3. — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:03:53 +0000

[...] That’s The Bird. And NOT the one born in French Lick, [...]

By: melissa

melissa — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:03:26 +0000

french lick…bwahahahaha…er…never heard of it. but, i’m from michigan…we have places like hell, here. much, much classier sounding cities…
french lick…bwahahahahaha…sorry.
the thing that kills me is…larry bird and his short shorts!! so, of course he’s from french lick…

By: my minivan is faster than yours

my minivan is faster than yours — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:08:12 +0000

I only knew that because Woody mentioned it on an episode of Cheers once! my minivan is faster than yours's last blog post..Kicking Ass and Taking Names

By: Sus

Sus — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:02:45 +0000

fellow hoosier here… the new french lick/west baden resort/spa is actually gorgeous, worth a weekend trip with somebody you love (who is an adult). Then again, even without the resort and spa, I would totally go to Sugar Tit and Beaver Lick, just to say I’d been. What state is that?!

Sus’s last blog post..Snuffling Little Red

By: Clink

Clink — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:09:24 +0000

...Dawns comment made me snort water out of my nose and I totally forgot what I was going to say! Clink's last blog post..outside the obvious

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:35:58 +0000

We have a Sugar Tit and a Beaver Lick. Ya can't make this stuff up. Dawn's last blog post..Kissing John Cusack

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:23:54 +0000

I took that class, but it wasn't about Indiana, that's for sure! Lori's last blog post..The Royal Family