Galt House facts for kids
| The Galt House Hotel | |
| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | 140 N 4th St., Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40202 |
| Opening date | 1835 (original hotel), 1972 (current hotel), 2020 (renovation) |
| Owner | Al J. Schneider Co. |
| No. of restaurants | 6 |
| No. of rooms | 1314 |
| No. of floors | 25 |
The Galt House Hotel is a large hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. It has 25 floors and over 1,300 rooms. The hotel opened in 1972. It is named after an older, historic hotel that stood nearby from 1835 to 1921. The Galt House is special because it's the only hotel in the city located right on the Ohio River. Many rooms, restaurants, and even the fitness center offer amazing views of the river.
The First Galt House Hotel
The very first Galt House was once the home of Dr. W.C. Galt in the early 1800s. It was located at the corner of Second and Main Street.
In 1835, Colonel Ariss Throckmorton opened the first Galt House as a hotel. It had 60 rooms and was known as Louisville's best hotel during the 1800s. Many famous people stayed there, including Jefferson Davis, author Charles Dickens, and U.S. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
During the American Civil War, the Galt House was a meeting place for Union generals. In September 1862, a surprising event happened there. Union General Jefferson C. Davis (not the Confederate President) shot Union General William "Bull" Nelson after an argument.
The first Galt House building burned down in 1865. A new, larger Galt House opened nearby in 1869. This hotel was a popular spot for social events in Louisville. However, it closed in 1919 due due to money problems and was taken down in 1921. A new building, now called the Waterside Building, was built in its place.
The Modern Galt House Hotel
More than 50 years later, in 1972, the Galt House Hotel was rebuilt by a developer named Al J. Schneider. This was part of a big project to improve Louisville's riverfront area.
The hotel has two main parts: the West Tower and the East Tower.
- The West Tower is 25 stories tall. It has many meeting spaces, fancy guest rooms, and several restaurants. These include Walker's Exchange, Jockey Silks Bourbon Bar, Down One Bourbon Bar, Al J's, Thelma's, and Swizzle Dinner & Drinks.
- The East Tower was added in 1984. It offers 650 suites, some with balconies overlooking the river.
With 1,310 guest rooms, the Galt House Hotel is the largest hotel in Kentucky. It has a huge amount of space for meetings, including over 50 meeting rooms, two ballrooms, and an exhibit hall. Other cool things at the hotel include a fitness center, a business center, a spa, a barbershop, and various shops.
The East and West Towers are connected by a three-story glass area called the Conservatory. This area has Thelma's Deli (named after the founder's wife) and Al J's Lounge.
The Galt House Hotel is the official hotel for many big events in Louisville. These include Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, the Kentucky Derby Festival, Thunder Over Louisville, and the KFC Yum! Center. The hotel is even connected to the KFC Yum! Center by a special walkway in the sky.
The Galt House Hotel recently had a big renovation, costing $80 million. This update was finished by the end of 2020.
On August 21, 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump visited the Galt House. He gave a speech at the AMVETS 75th National Convention. After his speech, he signed a paper that helped disabled military veterans by forgiving their student loan debt.
