Welcome back, Potter

Here’s a kicker…the original Palmer House, built as a wedding present from Potter Palmer to his bride Bertha, was completed just days before the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and was completely destroyed in the disaster. That would probably discourage some people from rebuilding, but not Potter. He began construction almost immediately, opening the second Palmer House in 1873. This was surely welcomed by Chicagoans, boosting morale and confidence after such a terrible event. And if there’s anything to be said about Potter, he wasn’t a man who was going to let a fire hold him back.

On the Palmer House tour we learned that from its violent beginnings to present day the Palmer House has been an iconic part of Chicago. There are so many interesting facts, stories and “things” about the Palmer House Hilton it is nearly impossible to choose just one to talk about. Which is why you have to take the tour, of course. Come on…I’ll always try to encourage you to actually take the tour.

But I have to pick something to write about so I’ll tell you a little bit about the Palmer House’s famous Empire Room. You may not have been inside, but I’m sure you’ve noticed the stairs at the far end of the lobby leading up to the room. The staircase is flanked by two Tiffany-designed bronze “Winged Angels”. Sheathed in 24 karat gold, I think they are stunning. Even in the ritzy, glitzy and gilded lobby, these statues stand out.

"Winged Angels"

Anyway, at the top of that staircase is the entrance to the Empire Room. It opened as a supper club in 1933 in conjunction with the Century of Progress World’s Fair (yes, Chicago was host to two World’s Fairs, the first one in 1893 was the one that The Devil in the White City was based on). From 1933 through 1976, the Empire Room was the place to party in Chicago. Many famous entertainers performed there including Jimmy Durante, Eartha Kitt, Phyllis Diller, Carol Channing, Bobby Darin, Lou Rawls, Maurice Chevalier, Liberace, Harry Bellafonte and Peggy Lee.



The Empire Room entrance

And why wouldn’t an A-list celebrity want to perform there? The room is beautiful. To me, the chandeliers are especially striking. Made of crystal and gold they were imported from France and are from the hotel’s remodeling in 1925. During a 1954 “modernization” of the space, the chandeliers were taken down and sold to a junk dealer for $400 each—gasp!! Incensed, Conrad Hilton (who by then had owned the hotel for about 9 years), made the hotel buy them back for $4,000 each, lovingly clean both of them, and then return them to their rightful place. Way to go, Conrad!


Inside the Empire Room

The Palmer House is one of those places that you may walk by every day and not really pay much attention to. After all, it has been a Chicago establishment for well over a century. But I really encourage you to stop and take it all in. The Palmer House has been lovingly restored, is absolutely gorgeous, and, in the humble opinion of someone who has been touring all over this city—the Palmer House is a true gem of Chicago.
Thank you John for a great tour! And thank you to the Twitter, Facebook and blog followers who joined me!

Want to take the Palmer House tour? Tour dates are coming up! Visit http://bit.ly/9zwiCq for upcoming departure dates for the Palmer House Hilton tour, and visit www.architecture.org/tours to see our complete tour schedule.

Then get on out there and get touring!

There's no shame being a tourist in your own city.

See you around town!
Jennifer