National Historic Landmark -- Charleston, West Virginia -- Kanawha County
With luxurious finishes and a string of celebrity guests, the 10-story Daniel Boone Hotel opened in 1929 in the heart of the capital city of West Virginia. A "skyscraper" by the standards of the time, the Classical-revival hotel was designed by architect W. L. Staddard, of New York City, was raised by A. G. Higginbotham & Co., and was sighted prominently on land where the capital's first executive mansion had burned a few years earlier. Presidents Hoover, Truman, Kennedy, Eisenhower, and Franklin Roosevelt had lodged there, often with their wives. A string of celebrities -- Bob Hope, Bette Davis, Elvis Presley, Tyrone Power, Jack Dempsey, and Louis Armstrong -- strolled its halls. Expanded in 1936 and 1949, its capacity grew to 465 guest rooms, and its commons included a restaurant, coffee shop, a large ballroom, and three parlor meeting rooms. The hotel was sold in 1967, and its business declined until it closed as a hotel in 1981. In the mid-1980s, "405 Capitol Street," as it is now often known, was renovated as an office building, and many of its original architectural features were left intact. See Charleston (WV) Hotels for lodging information for the Charleston Area.
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