I. Granger McDaniel designed many of Hot Springs’ most iconic buildings.
In 1941, at the age of 17, I. Granger McDaniel forged his own diploma and birth certificate, dropped out of Hot Springs High School, and took off for Canada.
He wanted to be part of the military that beat the Nazis and saved the world. Once in Canada, McDaniel convinced military officials he was already a pilot, though he’d only had a handful of flying lessons at Hot Springs Memorial Field. They shipped him to the United Kingdom, where he became a pilot with the Royal Air Force.
After four years in the infamous Nazi POW camp, Stalag Luft III, the young officer came home to Hot Springs. Against all odds, he’d found a way to study architecture in a prison camp with a Polish architectural professor.
During the next thirty years, McDaniel designed many of the most iconic buildings in Hot Springs, including The Vapors, Hot Springs City Hall, the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, and the original Hot Springs Convention Center.
On October 24, McDaniel will receive his place on the Arkansas Walk of Fame in downtown Hot Springs. His ceremony will be held at 11 AM in Transportation Depot. The event is free and open to the public.
