NOT FAR FROM MACOMB, HIDDEN IN A WOODED RAVINE STANDS FIRST AND LAST BUILDING OF WHAT
WAS ONCE A RESORT TOWN.
THIS IS THE CAPITOL HOTEL. IT WAS BUILT IN 1889. IT WAS PART OF A RESORT WHERE
PEOPLE CAME OUT TO DRINK MINERAL
WATER.
THE MINERAL WATER WAS SAID TO
CURE ANYTHING FROM RHEUMATISM TO
BAD BACKS, PEOPLE CAME OUT HERE
FOR VARIOUS.
THE RESORT WAS PRETTY ELABORATE.
THEY HAD VERY NICELY MADE
OUTLAND SCAPE.
THE POND, OF COURSE, GAIR I HAD
GOLD FISH, AND IT HAD A FOUNTAIN
IN IT.
THERE WAS A BRIDGE THAT WENT
OVER IT.
L THAT IS LEFT IS THE HOTEL OF COURSE. USED TO HAVE BALCONIES.
THEY TORE DHOWS DOWN, IT WAS
RESTORED IN 1935.
THE POND STILL REMAINS THAT USED
TO BE FILLED WITH GIANT GOLD
FISH.
OF COS, NONE OF THAT LEFT ANY
MORE.
PLENTY OF TURTLES IN IT.
SPRING STILL FLOWS FROM ONE INCH
PIPE THAT IT STEMS FROM THE
HILL.
URING ITS TIME IN THE 1890'S,
IT WAS DISTINCTION, WEDDINGS,
DANCES AND RECEPTIONS HELD.
LARGE CROWDS HERE, WHEN THE
HOTEL WAS FILLED UP, GUESTS
WOULD STAY IN TENTS PITCHED ON
THE LAWN.
DARIUS HICKS, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T
BELIEVE THE RESORT COULD SURVIVE
ON ITS OWN, NOR COULD THE TOWN
SURVIVE ON ITS OWN.
HE FELT BOTH COULD.
HE HAD THE AREA PLATTED ON HANDS
DRAWN MAP.
HE SOLD INDIVIDUAL LOTS FOR 30
DOLLARS, INCLUDING AN AREA
UPHILL FROM THE VALLEY.
THERE WAS LIVERY STABLE DOWN
BELOW AND A FEW HOMES.
UP ON THE HILL, THEY HAD A DEER
PARK AND HORSE DRAWN
MERRY-GO-ROUND, AND THERE WERE
ALSO HOMES UP THERE.
THE STAIRS WE HAVE, 88 STEPS, IT
GOES UP TO WHERE THE TOWN ABOVE
THE HILL WAS LOCATED.
IT THRIVED TORE 20 YEARS. THEY FELD RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS, AND FESTIVALS.
BY 1910, THE VILLAGE AND RESORT
WAS A BAN DODD, MAINLY BECAUSE
NO RAILROAD TO DELIVER GOODS TO
THE VILLAGE, AND THE MAIN
BOOSTER, DARIUS HICKS COMMITTED
SUICIDE IN 1908.
DARIUS HICKS IS A STORY.
AFTER HIS SECOND WIFE DIED, HE
MARRIED HIS SECOND WIFE'S
DAUGHTER MAUDE.
HE WAS ESSENTIALLY EXILED FROM
THE VILLAGE AND MOVED TO A FARM
NORTH OF BRAN A ARDS'SVILLE.
HIS STEPDAUGHTER OR WIFE, DIED,
MAUDE, AND HE HAD AFFAIR WITH
THE CARETAKER WHO BECAME
PREGNANT, AND SHE THREATEN TODAY
PUBLICIZE THE AFFAIR.
WITH THAT, HE BECAME TO THE END
OF HIS ROPE IN 1908 HE SHOT
HIMSELF IN THE HEAD WITH .32
CALIBER RIFLE.
>> AFTER DARIUS HICKS DIED,
THERE WAS NO ONE HERE REALLY TO
TAKE CARE OF THE PLACE.
HE WAS ALL THE MONEY FOR IT.
HE WAS THE MAIN BOOSTER.
IT STARTED GET A SEED
REPUTATION.
A LOT OF BOOTLEG WHISKEY.
SUPPOSEDLY A COUNTERFEITING
OPERATION.
THERE WAS A SALOON THE STRADDLED
THE CREEK OVER HERE THAT HAD A
LOT OF POKER GAMES AND FIGHTS,
AND I GUESS SOMEBODY WAS STABBED
OUT HERE, AND EVENTUALLY
CHILDREN THAT LIVED IN THE HOMES
WERE MOVED AWAY, AND THEN THE
BETTER FOLKS MOVED OUT AS WELL.
BY 1910 IT WAS ESSENTIALLY
ABANDONED.
THIS IS ONE OF THE GUEST ROOMS IN THE HOTEL. YOU CAN SEE IT IS COVERED WITH
SIGNATURES.
TRADITION OF SIGNING THE WALL
BEGAN IN 1893 WHEN GUESTS WOULD
STAY HERE.
AFTER IT WAS ABANDONED IN THE
EARLY PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY,
PEOPLE WHO COME DOWN TO SEE THE
HOTEL WOULD CONTINUE THE
TRADITION OF SIGNING THE WALL.
DURING THE GANGSTER ERA, EARLY
1930'S, IT IS REWARM ORED BONNIE
AND CLYDE STAYED OUT HERE FOR A
FEW DAYS.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A POPULAR
SPOT FOR OUTLAWS I GUESS GOING
FROM CHICAGO TO KANSAS CITY OR
OKLAHOMA CITY BECAUSE OF ITS
HIDDEN LOCATION.
RIGHT NOW, WESTERN ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY IS PREPARED TO TAKE
THE HOTEL.
THEY ARE TALKING WITH THE OWNER
AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO
POSSIBLY RESTORING THE HOTEL AND
MAKING IT INTO A WILDERNESS
RETREAT.