West Baden Atrium
Photo from an article in Model Aviation, taken by Bob Clemens
Click on this picture
for a larger diagram of the building
West Baden Map
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 06 Jun 2001 20:08:45 -0500
From: del ogren del@n-lemma.com
To: rten@metronet.com, Glenn Davison davison@setech.com
Subject: wonderful news!
Bud and Glenn, pass the following along...
--del----
Indoor folks,
Sweep the barn floor, call in the fiddler, and bring your friends! There is cause for celebration.
Got a phone call from Walt Van Gorder last night. He's been working for years trying to get access to the dome in West Baden Indianna. He's done it! (Thank you Walt!!!)
Saturday August 11, 10 AM to 4 PM.
Sunday August 12, 12 PM to 5 PM.
This is not a contest.
It is an attempt, after years of work on Walt's part, to prove to the new owners of the building that we are, at best, an attraction, and at worst, harmless...
But, it's a chance to fly in the newly restored atrium. And, if we prove ourselves, a chance to go back and have real event.
Come play, and help us prove that we may be nuts, but we're hamless..
Walt has done a lot of work to get us to this point and is, rightly, being cautious about showing the owners that we can be trusted. You must have a current AMA membership card to fly. No electrics. We have to start off slow.
And it gets strange...
In order to get access to the building, Walt had to work with the Historical Landmarks Foundation of Indianna. They seem to want it to be a tourist event (a way to promote historical buildings), and have named it the "Fly Me To The Moon" event. Walt reports that the name was _not_ his idea!
So, in addition to the other restrictions, in order to fly at West Baden, you will have to registure intent to do so with the Historic Landmarks Foundataion before July 9.
Call 800 450 4534. Ask for Andrea Hill. Say you want to fly to the moon at West Baden...
OK, this is all a bit confusing.
Call Walt at 513-922-3351
He has all the details.
Rooms:
Lane's motel 812 936 9919
EB Rhodes Bed & breakfast 812 936 7378
In Paoli: Midwest Inn 812 723 4555
And the French Lick Resort has a special deal for us To the Moon, folks. 800 457 4042
Friends,
Dang near everyone who's flown indoor at West Badenhas fallen in love with the place. I know I did. And it broke my heart to see the building fall into
a state of deep dis-repair. The last time I was there I walked into the atrium, saw it's condition, and left with a tear in my eye.
Walt reports that the atrium and the surrounding structure has been restored to better than when we flew there. And that the gardens surrounding the building are also being restored to their turn-of-the-century splendor.
Heck, even if I don't get new models built, and have to rely on 10+ year old crap, I'm goin' to West Baden. It's my indoor model home. The place of memories.
Haiku..
Props slowly turning
Sun light in the atrium
Bounce off the mushroom
--del
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