French Lick, Indiana
| French Lick, Indiana | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
French Lick Resort and Larry Bird Boulevard
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 Location in the state of Indiana |
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| Coordinates: 38°32′49″N 86°37′8″W / 38.54694°N 86.61889°WCoordinates: 38°32′49″N 86°37′8″W / 38.54694°N 86.61889°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Orange |
| Township | French Lick |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.77 sq mi (4.58 km2) |
| • Land | 1.77 sq mi (4.58 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 499 ft (152 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,807 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 1,798 |
| • Density | 1,020.9/sq mi (394.2/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EST (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 47432 |
| Area code(s) | 812 |
| FIPS code | 18-25972 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0450938 |
French Lick is a town in French Lick Township, Orange County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,807 at the 2010 census. In November 2006, the French Lick Resort Casino, the state's tenth casino in the modern legalized era, opened, drawing national attention to the small town. However, it is best known as the hometown of basketball legend Larry Bird.
French Lick was originally a French trading post built near a spring and salt lick. A fortified ranger post was established near the springs in 1811. On Johnson's 1837 map of Indiana, the community was known as Salt Spring. The town was founded in 1857.
The sulfur springs were commercially exploited for medical benefits starting in 1840. By the later half of the 19th century, French Lick was famous in the United States as a spa town. In the early 20th century it also featured casinos attracting celebrities such as boxer Joe Louis, composer Irving Berlin and gangster Al Capone.
Due to wartime travel restrictions, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox held spring training in French Lick from 1943-1944; in 1945 the Cubs stayed in town while the White Sox moved to Terre Haute - utilizing Memorial Stadium. In order to conserve rail transport during World War II, 1943 spring training was limited to an area east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River.
The French Lick Resort Casino was the focal point of most of the entertainment; the hotel remained open well after the casinos were closed down and the heyday of the town was well past. The resort closed for renovation in 2005.
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Wikipedia