“Home of Presidents.” That’s just one nickname for the Congress Hotel. It’s an iconic Chicago landmark on historic Michigan Avenue. The Congress Hotel is legendary in its architecture and history. Locals and visitors alike love it.
Originally, the Congress Hotel was named the Auditorium Annex. It opened in 1893. Hotelier R.H. Southgate built it as an annex to the Auditorium Building across the street. It welcomed attendees of the 1893 World’s Fair.
Clinton Warren designed the North Tower, the first section. Holabird and Roche completed the South Tower in 1907. Its Beaux-Arts façade features sculpted friezes and detailed cornices. This was a popular architectural style. “Peacock Ally” was a new feature. This underground marble passageway connected the Congress Hotel to the Auditorium Hotel.
The Congress Hotel’s interior was equally impressive. Lavish ballrooms and ornate details could be found throughout. The Gold Room has gilded plasterwork and crystal chandeliers. It was the first hotel ballroom in America with air-conditioning. The Florentine Room, Elizabethan Room, and Pompeian Room regularly hosted Chicago’s elite social events.
By 1908, the hotel officially became the Congress Hotel. It boasted over 1,000 guest rooms. Modern electrical and plumbing were added in the 1920s. This elevated the Hotel’s status. The Elizabethan Room became a trendy nightclub in the early 1930s. It featured a revolving bandstand. Benny Goodman hosted an NBC radio show there from 1935-1936.
The U.S. government purchased the hotel after World War II broke out. They used it as army headquarters. In 1945, a group of Chicagoans bought the hotel. They wanted to save it from neglect. Millions of dollars were spent on remodeling and modernization over the next few decades.
Many notable figures have stayed at the Congress Hotel. It has been nicknamed the “Home of Presidents.” Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Franklin Roosevelt all held events here.
The Congress Hotel is also known for spectral beings. “Peg Leg Johnny” is said to haunt the hotel. Mysterious sounds, eerie apparitions, and unexplained phenomena occur. Supernatural tales lure paranormal enthusiasts to the Congress Hotel. They seek to uncover the secrets within its walls.
So, as you explore this grand hotel remember its history. Remember its elegance. Remember its ghostly tales. The Congress Hotel is more than just a building. It is a Chicago landmark.