The Norconian Resort( Series - Images Of America )

The Norconian Resort Supreme was a magnificent disaster. A chance discovery of hot sulfur water in 1926 led entrepreneur Rex Clark to construct one of the finest and most comprehensive recreation
facilities on the West Coast. Movie stars, Olympic champions, and the richest of the rich flocked to it. Sadly the Norconian debuted just months before the onset of the Great Depression, and very quickly
Rex Clarks $4.5-million dream became known as Rexs Folly. The resort eventually became one of the preeminent naval hospitals in the nation, a top-secret think tank, and a medium-security prison.
Miraculously most of the original structures still exist. The old hotel, despite its placement on the National Register of Historic Places, has become a political hot potato and now sits languishing in the middle of the California Rehabilitation Centerabandoned yet stunning, with fabulous chandeliers, tile work, and breathtaking paintings still intact.