French Lick

Town in Orange County, south Indiana; population (1990) 2,100. It is located 72 km/45 mi northwest of New Albany. Its mineral springs have made it a popular resort since the mid 19th century. An 18th-century French trading post and local salt lick (natural deposit) gave the settlement its name. Fruit, livestock, and poultry are raised, and timber is harvested in the surrounding area, which also has bituminous coal mines and stone quarries. The Hoosier National Forest almost surrounds the town.