Conrad Hilton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Conrad Hilton
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Hilton in 1962
|
|
| Member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from the 2nd district |
|
| In office 1912–1916 |
|
| Preceded by | Legislature established |
| Succeeded by | Quianu Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Conrad Nicholson Hilton
December 25, 1887 San Antonio, New Mexico Territory, U.S. |
| Died | January 3, 1979 (aged 91) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Calvary Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Mary Adelaide Barron
(m. 1925; div. 1934)Mary Frances Kelly
(m. 1976) |
| Children |
|
| Relatives | Hilton family |
| Occupation | Hotelier |
| Known for | Hilton Hotels & Resorts |
Conrad Nicholson Hilton Sr. (born December 25, 1887 – died January 3, 1979) was an American businessman. He is famous for starting the Hilton Hotels chain.
From 1912 to 1916, Hilton was a Republican representative in the first New Mexico Legislature. However, he became unhappy with how politics worked. In 1919, he bought his first hotel, the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas, for $40,000. This hotel did very well because of the oil boom happening at the time. Rooms were even rented out in 8-hour shifts!
Conrad Hilton kept buying and selling hotels. Eventually, he created the world's first international hotel chain. When he passed away in 1979, he left most of his money to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Contents
Conrad Hilton's Early Life
Conrad Hilton was born in San Antonio, in what was then called the New Mexico Territory. His father, Augustus Halvorsen Hilton, was from Norway. His mother was Mary Genevieve Laufersweiler.
He went to several schools, including the Goss Military Academy and St. Michael's College. From 1912 to 1916, Hilton served as a representative in the first New Mexico Legislature. This was when New Mexico had just become a state. Hilton became frustrated with the slow and unfair parts of politics. In 1916, he decided not to run for another term. He supported his friend, Quianu Robinson, instead.
Hilton served in the United States Army for two years during World War I. He became a second lieutenant and worked in Paris. While he was in France, his father died in a car accident.
His mother and sisters greatly influenced Hilton's giving spirit. He said his mother taught him to pray when he faced problems. She always told him that prayer was the best investment he could make.
Building a Hotel Empire
As a young boy, Conrad Hilton learned about business by working at his father's general store. Part of the store was a small 10-room hotel. These early experiences helped him develop his skills. He even worked in the New Mexico State Legislature and thought about becoming a banker.
Hilton went to Texas planning to buy a bank during the Texas oil boom. But when the bank deal didn't work out, he bought his first hotel instead. This was the 40-room Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas, in 1919. The hotel was so busy that rooms were rented out up to three times a day! He even turned the dining room into more guest rooms.
He continued to buy and build hotels across Texas. Some of these included the Dallas Hilton (opened in 1925), the Abilene Hilton (1927), and the Waco Hilton (1928). The El Paso Hilton opened in 1930. The first Hilton hotel outside of Texas was built in 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Today, it is known as the Hotel Andaluz.
During the Great Depression, Hilton faced tough times and almost went bankrupt. He lost some of his hotels. However, he was kept on as a manager for the hotel chain. Eventually, he regained control of his remaining eight hotels.
Over the next ten years, he expanded his business to California, Chicago, and New York. He bought famous hotels like the Stevens Hotel in Chicago, which was the world's largest hotel at the time. He renamed it the Conrad Hilton. He also bought the amazing Waldorf-Astoria in New York.
In 1946, he created the Hilton Hotels Corporation. In 1948, he started the Hilton International Company.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Hilton Hotels grew all over the world. This made it easier for American tourists and businesses to travel. It became the first international hotel chain. It also set a high standard for hotels worldwide. In 1954, Hilton Hotels bought The Hotels Statler Company for $111 million. This was the biggest real estate deal in the world at that time.
In total, Hilton eventually owned 188 hotels in 38 cities in the U.S. This included the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., the Palmer House in Chicago, and the Plaza Hotel and Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. He also owned 54 hotels abroad. He later bought the Carte Blanche Credit Company and part of the American Crystal Sugar Company.
Conrad Hilton received special degrees from many universities. His autobiography, Be My Guest, was published in 1958. In 1966, his son Barron took over as president. Conrad Hilton became the chairman of the board.
Conrad Hilton's Family Life
In 1925, Conrad Hilton married Mary Adelaide Barron. They had three sons: Conrad Hilton Jr., Barron Hilton, and Eric Hilton. They divorced in 1934.
In 1942, Hilton married the actress Zsa Zsa Gabor. They had one daughter, Francesca Hilton. They divorced in 1947. Their daughter Francesca passed away in 2015.
In 1976, Hilton married Mary Frances Kelly. They were married until he died three years later in 1979.
Hilton bought a beautiful house called Casa Encantada in Bel Air, Los Angeles, in 1950. He lived there until he died. He loved the house, calling it "one of the fabulous houses of the world." He renamed it Casa Encantada, which means "enchanted house."
Conrad Hilton died on January 3, 1979, at 91 years old. He was buried in a Catholic cemetery in Dallas, Texas. He left money to his sons, daughter, nieces, and nephews.
The Hilton Family Fortune
In 1969, Conrad Hilton's son, Barron Hilton, was shown plans to build a hotel college at the University of Houston. Barron then showed the plans to his father. Conrad Hilton donated $1.5 million to help build the college. The Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management opened in September 1969.
Conrad Hilton left most of his wealth to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. He had started this foundation in 1944. His son, Barron Hilton, who had helped build the Hilton Hotels Corporation, challenged his father's will.
They reached an agreement. Barron Hilton received 4 million shares of the hotel business. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation received 3.5 million shares. The remaining 6 million shares were put into a special trust for charity. When Barron Hilton passed away, the money from this trust went to the Hilton Foundation.
In 1983, the Hilton Foundation gave $21.3 million to expand the college facilities. This led to the building of the South Wing, which opened in 1989. It added a lot of new space for learning and meetings.
On December 25, 2007, Barron Hilton announced that he would leave about 97% of his own fortune, estimated at $2.36 billion, to a charitable trust. This trust would eventually join the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. By doing this, Barron not only gave away his own wealth but also returned the family fortune to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. This fortune would have gone to the foundation 30 years earlier if Barron had not challenged his father's will.
Conrad Hilton's Legacy
- The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was started in 1944 by Conrad N. Hilton. Its goal is to help reduce human suffering around the world.
- The Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize was created in 1996 by The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. It is given to organizations that do amazing humanitarian work.
- The Conrad N. Hilton College is a hotel management college at the University of Houston. It is named after Conrad Hilton.
- The Conrad N. Hilton Library is located at the Hyde Park campus of the Culinary Institute of America.
- There are also special awards and chairs (like teaching positions) named after him at Loyola Marymount University.
- In 2009, actor Chelcie Ross played Conrad "Connie" Hilton in the TV show Mad Men for six episodes.
Books by Conrad Hilton
- Be My Guest: Autobiography of Conrad Hilton (1958)
- Inspirations of an Innkeeper (1963)
Images for kids
-
Quianu Robinson
-
Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas
See also
In Spanish: Conrad Hilton para niños
