i recently went home (Weatherford Tx.) over Christmas to spend Much needed time with the family. After sitting around the house for a day of rest, i decided to take a trip to Mineral Wells to check out a local antique shop, and to get some photos of the Baker Hotel - Both of which were successful stops.
Here is a little rundown about the Town and Hotel:
Originally named "Ednaville" - the town began to be known for the healing properties of it's mineral water wells, one in particular "The Crazy Well" was said to have cured a woman of epilepsy - the town was then renamed "Mineral Wells". The healing mineral water began to draw famous crowds of people, and later a hotel named "The Crazy Hotel" was built over the Crazy well which held much of the outside tourism. The towns people got smart and began to gather together it's own money for a grand hotel/spa for the tourism, and towns much needed financial growth so they called on T.B. Baker, a famous local entrepreneur known for his hotels success during the depression era, in 1925.
The Baker Hotel was inspired by a hotel from Hot Springs Arkansas (which was known for its springs, and baths), and was to have 14 stories of 450 rooms, and Olympic sized pool filled with the mineral water, a changing room under the pool, a full working spa, ceiling fans and air conditioners that turned on and off by the entrance and exit of the room key, 3 ball rooms, a full working spa, valet doors for clothes to be washed, and underground tunnels to the Crazy Hotel, and Parking Garage. The Baker Hotel opened in November 1929 two weeks after the Stock Market Crash, and survived the Great Depression with some pretty top names: Alvin Barkley, Clyde Barrow, Pat Boone, Jack Dempsy, Marlene Dietrich, Dale Evans, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Samuel Goldwyn, Jean Harlow, Lyndon Johnson, Sammy Kay, Helen Keller, Dorothy Lamour, Dr. Charles Mayo, Gisele Mckinzie, Tom Mix, Clint Murchinson Sr., Bonnie Parker, General John J. Pershing, Sam Rayburn, Will Rodgers, Roy Rogers, Elliot Roosevelt, the Three Stooges, and Sophie Tucker. J. W. Neel, the owner of Maxwell House Coffee was fond of the Baker Hotel.
The Baker Hotel kept alive much through the 50's and finally closed in 1972 due to slim profits. Since then the hotel was rented for weddings, and tours have been given, but has fallen in to much needed repair. there has been talk of the town gathering together to finally get the restoration underway. here is the link....
hope you enjoy the pics..
Photos by: D. Ybarra
