7 (More) Abandoned Wonders of America: From Military Islands to Mills and Institutions | WebUrbanist

7 (More) Abandoned Wonders of America: From Military Islands to Mills and Institutions | WebUrbanist:

'via Blog this'Mineral Wells, Texas is home to a grand old abandoned hotel with the first Olympic-size swimming pool in the United States. Opened nearly 80 years ago, the 14 story Baker Hotel had visits from celebrities including Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Roy Rogers, The Three Stooges, Bonny and Clyde, Helen Keller and even Ronald Reagan before closing its doors. As per a strange promise made to the public, the hotel's founder Earl Baker closed the hotel on his 70th birthday. The hotel was auctioned and reopened under new ownership but in the late 1960s Baker had a fatal heart attack (strangely enough) in his own grand hotel's Baker Suite. The hotel closed shortly thereafter for good, leaving behind only pictures of this wonder.