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. In the early 20th century it also featured casinos attracting celebrities such as boxer Joe Louis, composer Irving Berlin and gangster Al Capone.īecause of wartime travel restrictions, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox held spring training in French Lick from 1943 to 1944 in 1945 the Cubs stayed in town while the White Sox moved to Terre Haute, utilizing Memorial Stadium. By the later half of the 19th century, French Lick was famous in the United States as a spa town. The sulfur springs were commercially exploited for medical benefits starting in 1840. French Lick's post office has been in operation since 1847. On Johnson's 1837 map of Indiana, the community was known as Salt Spring. A fortified ranger post was established near the springs in 1811. The population was 1,722 at the time of the 2020 census.įrench Lick was originally a French trading post built near a spring and salt lick. French Lick is a town in French Lick Township, Orange County, Indiana.
