CHICAGO — A building in the heart of Chicago that was once home to a silversmith is among the 22 historic hotels that Historic Hotels of America welcomed into membership in 2015.
The Silversmith Hotel Chicago in Downtown Chicago was built in 1897. Peter J. Weber, an architect with D.H. Burnham and Co., designed the building as a reflection from the Romanesque Revival period to the Arts and Craft movement in the 19th century, and the building is consistent with the Commercial Style that developed after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.
Hotels nominated and accepted into the program in 2015 range in age from 125 years to 52 years old and represent 16 states and the District of Columbia. The oldest historic hotel dates to 1890.
Nine of the hotels were adapted from a previous use, including a chocolate factory, army barracks and a jewelry studio. Of the historic hotels inducted in 2015, eight are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and one has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark.
Historic hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America members during 2015 include:
- Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square (1890), San Francisco, California
- Inn at Diamond Cove (1890), Portland, Maine
- The Partridge Inn, Curio, A Collection by Hilton (1892), Augusta, Georgia
- Sheridan Inn (1893), Sheridan, Wyoming
- Southernmost House (1896), Key West, Florida
- The Silversmith Hotel Chicago Downtown (1897), Chicago, Illinois
- Inn at Wise (1910), Wise, Virginia
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown (1912), Portland, Oregon
- Keswick Hall and Golf Club (1912), Charlottesville, Virginia
- Bear Mountain Inn (1915), Bear Mountain, New York
- Claremont Club & Spa, A Fairmont Hotel (1915), Berkeley, California
- LondonHouse Chicago, Curio, A Collection by Hilton (1923), Chicago, Illinois
- The Sam Houston Hotel, Curio, A Collection by Hilton (1924), Houston, Texas
- The Redmont Hotel Birmingham, Curio, A Collection by Hilton (1925), Birmingham, Alabama
- La Concha Hotel & Spa (1926), Key West, Florida
- The Fairfax at Embassy Row (1927), Washington, DC
- Hotel Alex Johnson, Curio, A Collection by Hilton (1928), Rapid City, South Dakota
- The Graylyn Estate (1932), Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo, a Doubletree by Hilton (1939), Hilo, Hawaii
- The Admiral Hotel, Curio, A Collection by Hilton (1940) Mobile, Alabama
- Punderson Manor State Park Lodge and Conference Center (1948), Newbury, Ohio
- The Whitehall (1963), Houston, Texas
“We are delighted to honor these 22 hotels with membership in Historic Hotels of America. Each hotel preserves and shares the important stories, heritage and culture of our country. Many represent architectural firsts and achievements,” Lawrence Horwitz, executive director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide, said in a news release. “From the Florida Keys to the Pacific Northwest, these hotels represent 125 years of American history, commerce, and growth. Many world leaders, authors, entertainers, sports figures, business pioneers, and leaders of social change have stayed at these hotels. This is also our largest group of adaptive reuse hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America. We are pleased to recognize and celebrate these historic buildings.”
Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance.
Of the 22 historic hotels, 12 are also members of Historic Hotels Worldwide. Historic Hotels Worldwide promotes heritage and cultural travel by featuring a prestigious collection of historic treasures, including historic hotels, castles, chateaus, palaces, academies, haciendas, villas, monasteries, and other historic lodging spanning 11 centuries across the globe.
