American history is carried forward in many forms — from official monuments and museums to entire communities. But there is a surprising amount of history in our nation's hotels, too. From inns in Maryland that existed before they had a country to call their own to mid-century modern grooviness on the Jersey shore, here are some of the U.S.' most historic hotels.
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Mobile
Founded: 1862
Built during the Civil War by two brothers-in-law, the Malaga Inn's origins began as a set of townhomes. It's also reported to be one of the most haunted hotels in Alabama. Today, the property features 39 guest rooms, many of which open onto a courtyard with flowers, fountains, and ambient outdoor lighting.
McCarthy
Founded: 1923
This 20-room hotel is located in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve — at 13.2 acres, America's largest national park. McCarthy is rich with historical lore — it was known for being a "Sin City" while its ghost town sister city, Kennicott, just over 4 miles away, was more of a "Company Town."
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Scottsdale
Founded: 1929
Historic doesn't have to mean drafty rooms and ghost-town destinations — this 1929 property was once a Spanish Colonial Revival villa, but is now home to spa treatments, award-winning cuisine, and incredible desert views.
Eureka Springs
Founded: 1886
Built for around $300,000, the Eureka Springs newspaper called the Crescent "America's newest and most luxurious hotel," replete with Edison lamps, electric bells, steam heating, a hydraulic elevator, and more.
Palm Springs
Founded: 1925
The Golden State is chock full of historic hotels, but few can claim Albert Einstein as a past guest. This small hotel — composed of two Italianate-style mansions — hosted one of history's great geniuses, as well as celebrity figures like Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Shirley Temple, and more.
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Durango
Founded: 1887
Located in this small western Colorado city, author Louis L'Amour used the Strater's Room 222 — directly above the Diamond Belle Saloon — to work on many of his books because the saloon's "honky-tonk music helped set the mood for his novels of the Old West." Today it rents out 88 rooms and has a restaurant, the saloon, and a "spiritorium," a bar serving apps and cocktails.
Hartford
Founded: 1881
The Goodwin was originally an upscale apartment building — J.P. Morgan resided here during visits to his birthplace. Eventually converted to a hotel, the Goodwin now operates as a boutique hotel, retaining its original and striking English Queen Anne terra-cotta facade.
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Wilmington
Founded: 1913
The Italian Renaissance-inspired Hotel Du Pont opened after more than two years of work by French and Italian craftsmen who "carved, gilded and painted this exceptional landmark to life." Taking up an entire city block, the property was also home to the chemical company DuPont's offices, and a playhouse.
St. Augustine
Founded: 1888
Located in the oldest continuously inhabited European-established town in the contiguous U.S., the Casa Monica is an example of Moorish Revival and Spanish Baroque Revival architecture. Other than a period of time when it served as the local courthouse, it has always operated as a hotel.
Savannah
Founded: 1851
The Marshall House is distinctive for its green shutters and ornate balconies. Built in 1851 and operated as a hospital for both the yellow fever epidemic of the mid-1800s and for Civil War soldiers for a time. It's now rumored that the hotel is haunted.
Honolulu
Founded: 1901
Located on Oahu's Waikiki Beach, the Moana was the first hotel in Waikiki and has reportedly hosted the likes of Agatha Christie, Amelia Earhart, Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, and Joe DiMaggio. A defining feature of the hotel is a 75-foot courtyard banyan tree planted in 1904.
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Coeur D'Alene
Founded: 1904
The stately Blackwell hotel started life as a 1904 mansion and remained that way until 1984, when it was converted to an inn. In addition to 10 suites, it offers guests a pool table, gazebo, and wrap-around porch.
Chicago
Founded: 1871
The Hilton-owned Palmer House was originally built in 1871, but burned down just thirteen days after opening during the Great Chicago Fire. Prominent Chicago businessman Potter Palmer persevered and rebuilt the hotel in a new location in 1873, and counted the likes of Ulysses S. Grant and Mark Twain among its notable guests. A third and final incarnation of the Palmer House Hotel was then built between 1923-1925 and has operated as a hotel ever since. Its most notable characteristic may be its grand lobby's recently restored ceiling fresco.
West Baden
Founded: 1850
Over the course of its history, the West Baden Springs has operated as a college and seminary. Today, the hotel — known for its 200-foot atrium dome — is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.
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Keosauqua
Founded: 1899
Bordering the Des Moines River, this hotel's architectural style, Steamboat Gothic, mimics 19th-century riverboats. It opened in the late 1890s with an orchestra and more than 300 guests in attendance.
Marion
Founded: 1886
After a rocky history, the Elgin Hotel was nearly demolished in 1974 but was saved by a lack of funding for a follow-up project. Remodels around 2006 and again in 2016 have restored the property to its former glory, and it now includes a second-floor bed and breakfast, fitness center, library, and game room.
Berea
Founded: 1909
Named after Daniel Boone and at the suggestion of the then-Berea College president's wife, this 1909 hotel has hosted the likes of the Dalai Lama, Henry Ford, President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou, and Robert Frost.
New Orleans
Founded: 1886
The French Quarter-located Monteleone has been operated by the same family — five generations — since its inception. It was a favorite hangout for authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and William Faulkner, and it served as a location for films including 1999's "Double Jeopardy" and the more recent "Girls Trip."
Kennebunkport
Founded: c. 1660
Owner Trish Mason, who runs the hotel with her husband, Ken, is a ninth-generation innkeeper — the Seaside has been in her family since 1756. But the inn's origins are reported to go back to at least 1660, making it one of the oldest family-run businesses in the country still in operation.
Annapolis
Founded: 1727
This boutique hotel is actually spread out over three locations, each dating back to the American Revolutionary War or before: the 1727 Governor Calvert House, the 1772 Robert Johnson House, and the 1776 Maryland Inn.
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Martha's Vineyard
Founded: 1891
This island retreat is in the Martha's Vineyard community of Edgartown, one of the 1975 filming locations for the iconic movie "Jaws." Today, in addition to guest rooms, the property offers cottages, a 2,270-square-foot penthouse, and the Historic Building, which claims to have a "legendary" guest book featuring the names of A-listers, athletes, and politicians.
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Mackinac Island
Founded: 1887
Located on an island in Lake Huron, the Grand Hotel has seen guests such as Mark Twain, Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Plummer. The property's front porch, once the longest in the world, was restored in 2017.
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Red Wing
Founded: 1875
Last year, this historic hotel southeast of Minneapolis was awarded the Best Small Historic Hotel Award from Historic Hotels of America. With just three owners over 145 years, the St. James is currently operated by the Red Wing Shoe Company.
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Biloxi
Founded: c. 1890s
The White House's history dates back to the 1890s, after which it enjoyed enough popularity to expand for many years. However, it fell into disrepair and sat vacant for 30 years until a 2013-14 restoration was completed, bringing the hotel back to its original splendor. Today, in addition to guest rooms, it has an on-site restaurant and bar.
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Boonville
Founded: 1905
Constructed by a local miller and banker and named after his son, the Hotel Frederick is now on the National Register of Historic Places and considered one of the best examples of Romanesque Revival architecture in the area. It functioned as a bus depot and retirement home for some time but was reopened in 2007 as a boutique hotel after a $4 million restoration.
Fort Benton
Founded: 1882
This hotel is older than the state of Montana itself, opening in 1882. Its website claims its history has seen it operate as both a luxury hotel and a "virtual flophouse," but after years of closure, it reopened in 1999 after a major restoration by its current owners.
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Omaha
Founded: 1916
The only historic hotel on our list that's not yet open, the 1916 Kimpton Cottonwood, in Omaha's popular Blackstone District, has been undergoing a renovation and is slated to debut later in 2020 or 2021. It's a gorgeous example of Second Renaissance Revival architecture that, prior to its latest reimagining, hosted the likes of presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
Tonopah
Founded: 1907
This self-dubbed "jewel of the desert" opened in 1907 as one of the first luxury hotels in Nevada and a social destination in the booming mining town. The Mizpah was renovated in 2011 after being closed for 12 years and today offers 52 rooms, a full bar, dining in The Jack Dempsey Room, and gaming in the lobby.
Dartmouth
Founded: c. 1780
The Hanover began life as a tavern in 1780, and eventually moved to another site that incorporated a hotel. Through the years, the property has undergone many transformations, but these days it is fully modern, with a composting program and other protocols designed for maximum eco-friendliness.
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Wildwood Crest
Founded: 1957
With its 1957 opening, the Caribbean might not be the most historic hotel on this list, but what it lacks in decades it more than makes up for in mid-century modern authenticity. It's a certified Doo Wop property and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Las Vegas
Founded: 1882
Located about an hour's drive east of Santa Fe, this 1882 was built when the town of Las Vegas was bigger than Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Today, the Plaza is known for its Victorian facade and 14-foot ceilings, and it's hosted names from Doc Holiday to Tommy Lee Jones.
New York City
Founded: 1924
There's no shortage of historic hotels to choose from in New York, but the Gramercy wins points for its jaw-dropping guest list, having played host to Humphrey Bogart, John F. Kennedy, Babe Ruth, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Bob Marley, U2, and Blondie's Debbie Harry.
Asheville
Founded: 1913
In the hip city of Asheville, the Omni Grove Park Inn was designed in the Arts and Crafts style of architecture and has hosted many notable guests, including 10 presidents, from William Howard Taft to Barack Obama. Its features include a spa, pools, trails, dining, and more.
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Fullerton
Founded: 1889
In its more-than-130-year history, the Carroll House has always served as a hotel, but also seen other uses like a beauty parlor, restaurant, cream station, and lumber business come and go. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and serves as one of Fullerton's greatest pieces of living history.
Marietta
Founded: 1918
Southeast of Columbus near the West Virginia border, this riverboat-era accommodation is the second incarnation of a hotel on this site. The Bellevue Hotel burned to the ground in 1916, and the Lafayette soon after took its place, opening in 1918.
Oklahoma City
Founded: 1911
Named for its founder, the 14-floor Skirvin once sat abandoned for nearly 20 years but was reopened in 2007 after a painstaking $50 million restoration and renovation.
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Ashland
Founded: 1925
Opened in 1925 as the nine-story Lithia Springs Hotel near the Rogue River Valley, the Ashland Springs is known for its light-filled two-story lobby, terrazzo flooring, and combination of Gothic, Beaux-Arts, and Arts and Crafts styles of architecture.
Skytop
Founded: 1928
The Skytop opened in the Poconos in the summer of 1928 as a resort hotel. The massive property includes a 75-acre lake, miles of hiking trails, a golf course, adventure center, and multiple restaurants.
Newport
Founded: 1926
The Colonial-style Hotel Viking still sports its original brass letterbox in the lobby, but many other parts have been modernized — it underwent renovations in both 2007 and 2018.
Charleston
Founded: c. 1804 (original building)
Named for its physical address, the five 19th century buildings that comprise Zero George Street have undergone a "meticulous preservation and restoration" by its current owners. In addition to guest rooms, it has the Zero Restaurant and Bar and furnished outdoor piazzas and courtyards from which to enjoy the daily wine-and-cheese pairings.
Deadwood
Founded: 1895
This self-proclaimed "jewel of downtown Deadwood" was built in 1895 and named after the county's first sheriff, Seth Bullock. The Bullock's 28 rooms were restored in 1990 and, like many historic hotels, there are rumors this one is haunted — by Sheriff Seth himself.
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Nashville
Founded: 1894
One in a line of historic train stations transformed into a jaw-dropping hotel (see also: Denver and St. Louis), the turret- and tower-heavy Gothic facade of Nashville's Union Station is worth the visit alone, but inside visitors will find plenty more to gawk at, including a 65-foot barrel-vaulted lobby ceiling, stained glass windows, three limestone fireplaces, and more.
Marfa
Founded: 1930
Film history fans will delight in this West Texas town's Paisano, which was the headquarters for the classic 1956 movie "Giant," starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean. Built in 1930 and renovated after the turn of the century, the hotel now includes 41 rooms, a ballroom, an outdoor courtyard, and a restaurant and lounge, as well as a "Giant" memorabilia room.
Salt Lake City
Founded: 1910
The Peery Hotel, now part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection, is a historic landmark "with architecture rooted in the early prairie and classical revival styles of the time." Earlier this year it was named by World Property Journal as one of the "Top 5 Great 'Old' Hotels of America."
Grafton
Founded: 1801
The Grafton Inn has seen a lot of history. It served as the area's courthouse in its early years and hosted literary figures such as Rudyard Kipling and Ralph Waldo Emerson, but by 1964 was in a state of disrepair and failing. Enter the state's Windham Foundation, which "strives to preserve Vermont's rural way of life." The foundation breathed new life into the Grafton so that visitors can enjoy it today.
Virginia Beach
Founded: 1927
The seven-story Cavalier has seen many notable names on its guest book, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Fitzgerald, Bob Hope, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Doris Day, Muhammad Ali, and presidents Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter. Now part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, it underwent an $81 million renovation and reopened in 2018.
Snoqualmie
Founded: 1916
Opened in 1916 with eight guest rooms, the Salish served as the setting for David Lynch's mystery TV series, "Twin Peaks." It now has 86 rooms for travelers and those wanting to experience the Pacific Northwest and is owned by Snoqualmie Indian Tribe.
Parkersburg
Founded: 1889
The Blennerhassett is a combination of Victorian, Queen Anne, and Romanesque Revival architectural styles and has seen three renovations over the course of its history: in the mid-1940s, early 1980s, and, most recently, a $10 million restoration from 2002-2006. The hotel is now registered as a Parkersburg historical landmark and with Historic Hotels of America.
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Lake Geneva
Founded: 1856
The Maxwell began life as a mansion for a local surgeon and his family in 1856 and served as a home for many notables after that. It was reportedly also the site of Nancy and President Ronald Reagan's early courtship. After a period of disrepair, it wasn't until this century that the mansion became a hotel with 30 rooms, 3 acres of gardens, lounges, outdoor fireplaces, a heated pool, and a croquet and bocce ball area.
Yellowstone National Park
Founded: 1904
Built in 1903-04, the Old Faithful Inn is considered the largest log structure in the world. Its jaw-dropping, multi-story lobby features a huge stone fireplace and rough-hewn log columns. While most of its guest rooms aren't as historic in appearance as the hotel's origin date would suggest, there are "old house" rooms that offer a rustic simplicity with a few modern amenities.
