The 14-story Baker Hotel, a 1929 mineral-springs resort that hosted Bonnie and Clyde and Judy Garland, closed in 1972 and loomed empty over Mineral Wells for decades. A $65M+ restoration into a hotel and spa began in 2021 and continues, though financing delays have repeatedly pushed the reopening timeline. It is a fenced, actively worked construction site with security — the era of sneaking into the Baker is over, and the crumbling upper floors remain genuinely dangerous.
Vestige documents abandoned & historic places for education and preservation. Always obtain permission before visiting and follow local law.