Twenty Hilton properties to join Historic Hotels of America

10 years ago

From Palmer House, A Hilton Hotel – Chicago to Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 20 storied Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties have been designated to join the prestigious Historic Hotels of America organization.

The official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America recognizes and celebrates the finest hotels for faithfully maintaining their authenticity, sense of place and architectural integrity. To qualify for the program, hotels must be at least 50 years old, 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 have historic significance.

“From the invention of the classic piña colada, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary, to the role the brand has played in some of the world’s most famous events, including hosting Civil Rights March leaders following Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in 1965, we are proud of Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ notable past and continued evolution,” said Rob Palleschi, global head, full service brands, Hilton Worldwide. “The distinctive properties joining Historic Hotels of America exemplify the brand’s status as the global leader of hospitality, and we are honored to share the stories of so many of our outstanding hotels through this exciting partnership.”

In celebration of the achievement, Hilton Hotels & Resorts invites guests, team members and members of our communities to take a journey back in time with vibrant stories, photos and historical facts available online at Historic.Hilton.com.

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The properties that have been recognized by the prestigious Historic Hotels of America program include:

Hilton Hawaiian Village^® Waikiki Beach Resort	Hawaii	1957	Setting of Elvis Presley’s famed movie, “Blue Hawaii” (1961)
Palmer House^®, A Hilton Hotel	Illinois	1873	Invented the brownie when Bertha Palmer requested a dessert for ladies attending the Chicago 1893 World’s Fair
Hilton Chicago	Illinois	1927	In 1942, the U.S. Army purchased the hotel for $6 million for use as barracks and classrooms for the Army Air Force during World War II
Hilton Orrington/Evanston	Illinois	1923	Named in honor of Orrington Lunt, well-known philanthropist and co-founder of Northwestern University
The Drake Hotel *	Illinois	1920	Newlyweds Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio carved their initials into the bar’s wooden counter
The Seelbach Hilton Louisville	Kentucky	1905	Inspired Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s wedding reception in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue	Louisiana	1926	Upon completion, this magnificent 20-story Gothic Revival story Neo-Gothic style building was hailed as the first skyscraper in New Orleans
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center *	Louisiana	1927	Briefly served as the Louisiana State Capitol in 1931 during a power struggle between Governor Huey Long and Lieutenant Governor Paul Cyr
Hilton Boston Downtown/Faneuil Hall	Massachusetts	1928	Boston’s first Art Deco skyscraper that was originally designed as an office building
Hilton President Kansas City *	Missouri	1926	Headquarters for the 1928 Republican National Convention
Hilton St. Louis Downtown at the Arch	Missouri	1888	Retains the original vaults of its 19th century predecessor, Merchant Laclède National Bank
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza	New Mexico	1625	Housed in a landmark 300-year-old hacienda; three luxury casitas were built within the adobe walls of the original coach house of the 17th century estate
Hilton Manhattan East	New York	1931	The 20-story Tudor City apartment complex at 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue was hailed as the first residential skyscraper complex in the world upon the building’s completion
Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza	Ohio	1931	One of the world’s finest examples of French Art Deco style; hotel has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark
The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City *	Oklahoma	1911	Provided a safe room for guests to privately drink during the Prohibition era
Hilton Fort Worth *	Texas	1921	President Kennedy delivered his last address in the Crystal Ballroom, on Nov. 22, 1963
The Capital Hilton	Washington, D.C.	1943	Built a hidden auto-lift for President Franklin D. Roosevelt to access the second-floor Presidential Ballroom
Hilton Milwaukee City Center *	Wisconsin	1928	The city’s largest classic Art Deco hotel with rich furnishing and distinctive architecture
Caribe Hilton	Puerto Rico	1949	Beachcombers Bar is the birthplace of the piña colada (1954); hotel is located two miles from Old San Juan, a UNESCO World Heritage site
The Condado Plaza Hilton	Puerto Rico	1963	Designed by renowned architect Morris Lapidus, known for his neo-baroque modern style that defined the era
* Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

“These diverse and fascinating Hilton historic hotels celebrate rich aspects of the heritage, history and culture of the United States of America,” said Lawrence Horwitz, executive director, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “We are proud to welcome these iconic and legendary hotels as members of Historic Hotels of America. Hilton Hotels & Resorts has an impressive record for saving and restoring some of the finest historic hotels going back to its founder, Conrad Hilton.”

In addition to honoring these 20 properties, the organization recognized two existing Hilton Hotels & Resorts Historic Hotels of America properties with the Historic Hotels of America 2014 Awards of Excellence:

Historic Hotelier of the Year – Michel Sheer, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza
Hotel Historian of the Year – Ken Price, Palmer House, A Hilton Hotel – Chicago
Best Historic Hotel (over 400 guestrooms) – Palmer House, A Hilton Hotel – Chicago
Best Historic Restaurant in Conjunction with a Historic Hotel – Orchids at Palm Court, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza

In celebration of the honor, many of the recognized hotels may welcome guests to experience the history and evolution of their properties through lobby photography exhibitions, special events, promotions and more throughout the year.

As the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide, Hilton Hotels & Resorts boasts a vibrant 95-year history marked by once-in-a-lifetime celebrations and iconic moments that have taken place at many of its more than 550 properties across six continents in more than 80 countries and territories. Combining touches of classic grandeur with industry-leading amenities geared for today’s modern traveler, each honored historic hotel exemplifies Hilton’s commitment to setting the stage for some of the world’s most celebrated moments.

Matthew Stephens

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