Brown Hotel (Louisville, Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Brown Hotel Building and Theater
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| Location | 335 W Broadway Louisville, Kentucky 40202 |
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| Area | Downtown Louisville, KY |
| Built | 1923 |
| Architect | Preston J. Bradshaw |
| Architectural style | English Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001346 |
| Added to NRHP | February 17, 1978 |
The Brown Hotel is a famous 16-story hotel in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.. It stands proudly at the corner of Fourth and Broadway. This historic building has 294 rooms and a large space for meetings. It also offers cool features like a fitness center and three restaurants. The Brown Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical site. It's also part of Historic Hotels of America, a group that protects special old hotels.
History of the Brown Hotel
Building a Grand Hotel
The Brown Hotel first opened its doors in 1923. It was designed by an architect named Preston J. Bradshaw. What's amazing is that it took only 10 months to build! The hotel cost $4 million to create. A local businessman, James Graham Brown, owned and paid for it. He wanted to build a hotel that could compete with other big hotels nearby. The Brown Hotel quickly became a key part of Louisville's growing downtown area. It was also a popular spot for local people to gather and socialize.
The Famous Hot Brown Sandwich
In 1926, the hotel's chef, Fred K. Schmidt, invented a special dish. He created the Hot Brown sandwich. This tasty sandwich has turkey and bacon on open-faced bread. It's covered with a creamy sauce called Mornay sauce. The Hot Brown quickly became a favorite for both locals and visitors. It even appeared on a PBS documentary in 2002!
Famous Guests and Fun Stories
Many famous people have stayed at the Brown Hotel over the years. David Lloyd George, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was the very first person to sign the guest book. Queen Marie of Romania also visited. The famous singer Lily Pons was even allowed to bring her pet lion! The lion roamed freely in her room.
Before he became a famous actor, Victor Mature worked at the hotel. He was an elevator operator. One time, he left his post to dance with a girl at a rooftop party. He just left a note and lost his job! In 1961, Jimmy Winkfield, a Black jockey who won two Kentucky Derbies, was sadly not allowed to enter through the front door. This shows how different things were in the past.
Facing Hard Times and a Big Flood
The early 1930s were tough for the hotel. This was during a time called the Great Depression, when many people struggled financially. The hotel faced money problems. Its employees even worked without pay sometimes to keep it open.
In 1937, a huge flood hit Louisville. The first floor of the Brown Hotel was completely underwater! Even without electricity, the hotel stayed open. Many people whose homes were flooded found shelter there. One person remembered rowing a boat right through the lobby! A worker even caught a two-pound fish inside the hotel lobby. WAVE radio, located on the 15th floor, was the only radio station in the area that kept broadcasting during the flood.
Recovery and Continued Popularity
Things started to get better for the hotel as World War II approached. Thousands of soldiers from Fort Knox would stay in the area. The hotel was often completely full. The week of the Kentucky Derby has always been the busiest time of year. Many celebrities have stayed at the Brown Hotel during Derby week. These include The Duke of Windsor, Harry S. Truman, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Crawford, Gene Autry, Eva Marie Saint, and Muhammad Ali.
Changes and Reopening
In the 1960s and 1970s, the downtown area of Louisville faced challenges. The Brown Hotel also struggled. In 1971, after money problems, the hotel closed its doors. The building was then sold to the Louisville Public Schools and became their main office.
In the 1980s, Louisville began to improve its downtown area. A group bought the Brown Hotel and started to fix it up in 1983. Even though the school offices had changed some parts, the beautiful main rooms were saved. After a lot of work, the hotel reopened as a Hilton Hotel. In 1993, a new company bought the hotel. They continued to restore it to its original beauty. They also changed the number of guest rooms from 600 to 293 by making some rooms larger. The hotel was sold again in 2006 to its current owner, 1859 Historic Hotels LTD.
The Brown Hotel was also used as a filming location. You can see it in many scenes of the 2005 movie Elizabethtown, directed by Cameron Crowe.
Images for kids
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The Broadway entrance to the Brown Hotel.
See also
In Spanish: Brown Hotel para niños
