
Daniel Boone Hotel
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.
External Links
Nomination Form PDF
Help build our guide to the Daniel Boone Hotel.
Would you be interested in helping us provide more information on the Daniel Boone Hotel or other historic resources in West Virginia? Please let a member of our editorial staff know.
Recent Articles
Nightfall’s Value: Light pollution can diminish real estate worth in W.Va.
WINFIELD, W.Va. — An increasing number of new West Virginia residents are being drawn to its rolling hills and quiet valleys to escape brightly lit...
Inside Appalachian Escapes: Themed rentals, escape rooms, and a love letter to West Virginia
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — What began as a search for an affordable retirement option has turned into one of southern West Virginia’s most imaginative...
West Virginia bottler wins silver award at international water competition
BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — Le Sage Natural Water, of Lesage, has been awarded a silver medal for its purified water at the 36th annual Berkeley...
West Virginia uniquely prepared to dominate 21st-century outdoor economy
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is uniquely prepared to dominate in the 21st-century outdoor economy of the U.S., thanks to its unmatched...
Flood risk outpaces warnings, advocates say, as W.Va. considers changes to resiliency fund
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the W.Va. House of Delegates considers changes to Senate Bill 390, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition warns that the state...
We asked AI how its own data centers could pollute West Virginia. Here’s what it had to say
(The following article was generated partly by ChatGPT in response to a prompt about how data centers pollute. As ChatGPT is powered by data...
Inaugural W.Va. Outdoor Economy Summit to unite leaders around $2.1 billion growth
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s outdoors are more than a scenic backdrop. They’re a strategic economic asset. That message will take...
West Virginia State Parks Foundation launches online merchandise store
HURRICANE, W.Va. — The West Virginia State Parks Foundation has launched an official online merchandise store, offering supporters a new way to...
West Virginia Travel Safety: What it means for residents and visitors in 2026
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Travel safety in West Virginia is shaped less by headline-grabbing crime and more by geography, weather, and the realities of...
Did Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis secretly meet in West Virginia?
PHILIPPI, W.Va. — Did Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis secretly meet in what is now West Virginia just days after the first land battle of the...



















