The Baker Hotel

Hello World, I roamed around the outside of the Baker this morning. I just love this building. Have always said if I were to win lotto, I would buy this building and restore it one floor at a time. Dunno how realistic that is but that how I have it goin in my head. Its been told that group of citizens in Mineral Wells didn't like the fact that outsiders were going to make a profit from their waters. They raised money to build their own hotel. That's when they got T. B. Baker to build the Baker Hotel. The Baker opened on November 22, 1929, when gas was $.29 a gallon and milk was $.58 a gallon, a new car was less than $500, a new house was less than $8000 and the avg annual income was only $2600. Can you imagine? Its just amazing to think we were actuially living on those prices/income. In this year President Herbert Hoover said "Older men declare War. But it is youth that must fight and die. And it is youth that must inherit the tribulation, the sorrow and the triumphs that are the aftermath." and Babe Ruth hits his 500th Home Run. The 14 floors of the Baker had its own electrical system, 12 miles of carpet, guest rooms, 1-2 bedroom suites, the ball room on top was the "Cloud Room", on bottom was the "Brazos Club", its own doctor and dentist as well as a pharmacy, and the most famous amenities the mineral baths, which were believed to have healing powers. Some other unique features were hidden panels, and bullet proof rooms. The Baker has had its share of celebrities, Mary Martin once had a dance studio in the Baker and paid the rent by singing in the lounge and ballroom, Judy Garland and Lawrence Welk frequented the establishment. There is no record of Elvis ever staying at the Baker but whos to say where he'll show up next. Good site for Baker info are http://www.bakerhotel.us/, and there is also a yahoo group "Spirit of the Baker". My Grandmother used to tell me stories of the Baker, she saw Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra there. The baker closed its doors in 1976, when min wage was $1.60, gas was $.55 a gallon and milk was up over a $1.00 a gallon, a new house was up to $28,000 and avg income was $11,000.

I could go on and on about this building but will stop here, good nite World