The Capital Hilton, originally named the Hotel Statler, is a historic hotel located just north of the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
on 16th Street in
Washington, D.C.
)
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History
The hotel was built by
Statler Hotels
The Statler Hotel company was one of the United States' early chains of hotels catering to traveling businessmen and tourists. It was founded by Ellsworth Milton (E. M.) Statler in Buffalo, New York.
Early ventures
In 1901, Buffalo hosted the ...
and began construction in 1940. It opened on January 18, 1943, in the middle of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, as the Hotel Statler. Upon its completion, the building rose , comprising 13 floors. The architect of the early modern style building was
Holabird & Root
The architectural firm now known as Holabird & Root was founded in Chicago in 1880. Over the years, the firm has changed its name several times and adapted to the architectural style then current — from Chicago School to Art Deco to Modern ...
LLC, A.R. Clas Associates.
In 1947,
Larry Doby
Lawrence Eugene Doby (December 13, 1923 – June 18, 2003) was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (MLB) who was the second black player to break baseball's color barrier and the first black pl ...
, the first black baseball player to integrate the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
, became the hotel's first black guest when the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
were in town to play against the
Washington Senators.
Scenes from the classic 1950 film ''
Born Yesterday'' were filmed outside the hotel and in its lobby, and much of the film is set in one of the hotel's luxury suites, which was reproduced on a soundstage.
The Statler Hotels chain was sold to
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton.
The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As ...
in 1954 and the hotel was renamed The Statler Hilton in 1958. On January 15, 1977, the hotel was renamed The Capital Hilton.
CNL Financial Group
CNL Financial Group (CNL), formerly Commercial Net Lease, is an Orlando, Florida based private investment management and commercial real estate company. It was started in 1973 by James Seneff. The company has been a major player in efforts to redev ...
began co-owning the property with Hilton in 2003. In 2007, the Capital Hilton was among the properties sold by CNL to Ashford Hospitality Trust. In 2013, Ashford Hospitality Trust spun off the Capital Hilton and seven other hotels as a separate company, Ashford Hospitality Prime. In 2018, the parent company was renamed from Ashford Hospitality Prime to Braemar Hotels & Resorts.
The
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by ...
accepted the Capital Hilton to be part of the
Historic Hotels of America
Historic Hotels of America is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation that was founded in 1989 with 32 charter members; the program accepts nominations and identifies hotels that have maintained their authenticity, sense of pla ...
in 2014.
See also
*
List of tallest buildings in Washington, D.C.
This list of tallest buildings in Washington, D.C. ranks high-rises in the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. The tallest structure in the city, excluding radio towers, is the Washington Monument, which rises and was completed in 1884. The str ...
*
Sixteenth Street Historic District
The Sixteenth Street Historic District is a linear historic district in Washington, D.C., that includes all structures along 16th Street NW between H Street and Florida Avenue. The district's southern boundary is bordered by Lafayette Square, ...
References
External links
Official website
Hilton Hotels & Resorts hotels
Hotels in Washington, D.C.
Hotel buildings completed in 1943
Hotels established in 1943
Projects by Holabird & Root
1943 establishments in Washington, D.C.
Historic Hotels of America
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