Today we went on a road trip looking at the beautiful old courthouse squares that are so well preserved and still in use here in Texas. The late 19th century to early 20th century architecture of these buildings just stands out for two reasons, one the land is flat so it can be seen from a long distance and two, they are usually the center of town in a square where traffic moves all around the building. Neil says that is so you can go to the building but can't stop anywhere to complain about anything..
Along the way, we found this building in Mineral Wellls:
This is an abandoned 14 story hotel with a great history. In the 1800's a Judge Lynch, (love that the judge was named Lynch!) built his home in this town but at the time, there was no water and he had to bring water to his ranch from the Brazos river. He finally hired someone to drill a well and when they got water, the son tasted it and said," Ugh! it tastes awful", but use it they did.
Mrs. Lynch soon had some relief from her arthritis and attributed it to the water. Word spread and the water in the area became famous for it's "healing qualities."
Enter entrepreneur T.B.Baker who built this hotel. It took three years to build. Somewhere in that time, he became aware of the Hot Springs, Ark. hotel that I put up on the blog in October. Baker changed all his plans to make his hotel look much like the Hot Springs hotel.
What are the chances that Neil and I would happen onto both of these places?
This is the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs
Baker's hotel in Mineral Wells opened just 2 weeks after the stock market crash. The crash didn't seem to make any difference--two trains were hired to bring guests in to enjoy all the amenities such as the swimming pool on the top floor, several baths with the mineral water, 450 rooms, restaurant, bar, beauty shop etc. There were 260,000 square feet of air conditioning. (I have changed that were to was and back again. Not sure of the right choice.)
Mr. Baker's quarters were the entire 10th floor and the 11th floor was known as the Presidential suite which is said to have a hidden liquor room created during prohibition. It is also rumored that there was an entire floor for gambling and prostitution. A young 16 year old elevator operator who knew about this floor mysteriously fell to his death in the elevator shaft. His ghost is said to still be seen in the hotel as well as a little girl who plays in the halls and the ghost of a woman said to be Mr. Baker's mistress.
The hotel went into receivership in 1933, but no buyer was found and the hotel did not close until 1963 shortly after the Federal Government said that there were no beneficial properties to mineral water.
All the furnishings are gone, and the building has gone into decline but it is made from concrete with steel reinforcement and is still basically sound. There have been people who have tried to buy it ...... most recently in 2002 and 2006 but the estimated cost to renovate is between 25 and 35 million. It's still on the market.
Yesterday's Sandwiches?!!!
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