This is one of those places that you would probably drive right by and never think a single thing of it and never know what you were missing unless you actually stopped to investigate. Around the turn of the century, the place was popular for the spring waters nearby, which were reputed to be capable of healing just about any disease. That fascination with the town has worn away and now all of the grand old hotels that once inhabited the place have faded away but there are still some interesting things to do and see.
One of them is the Railroad Station. It was built in 1907 to serve all the people that were flocking there to be healed. Today, it runs on the weekends from April to October and for the price of a fare you can hop on board and ride in one of the old antique cars. There’s a conductor, which is dressed just like you think he would be and he actually punches your tickets. The train takes you about 20 miles down the track and there is some interesting scenery along the way. We passed Marshall Lake during our excursion and an old cabin. The best part was when we went through the tunnel. It gets really, really pitch dark; but they do warn you ahead of time and offer flashlights if you have little kids with you. You’re only in the tunnel for less than five minutes but it seems like a lot longer than that. At the turnaround point, you are allowed to get out and walk around for a few minutes before heading back. The whole thing takes about two hours. At certain times during the year they do a wild west hold-up, in which people in costumes fire on the train, then jump aboard and actually rob the people riding it. We weren’t there at the right time of year for that, but I imagine it would be quite entertaining.
The West Baden Springs Hotel is one of the original hotels built to cater to the crowds flooding in to partake of the springs. It has a six story atrium and 700 rooms. Al Capone is reported to have stayed there. After the stock market fell, it pretty much fell into disrepair. The whole place has recently been under restoration and is now open for tour. Tickets are $10.
