2004: The Historic Olympic Hotel
"There was nothing grand before it arrived on the scene, and it came in with a swirl..." 1
Standing on the original site of the University of Washington in the center of the Emerald City and financed through public support, the historic Olympic Hotel has always been a special part of Seattle, rooted deep in the hearts of its citizens. When the stately hotel opened its doors in 1924, it was truly a civic affair - over $3 million worth of community bonds had been sold to more than 3,000 citizens. The name "Olympic" was selected from a list of nearly 4,000 suggestions in a contest sponsored by The Seattle Times.
The grand opening on December 6, 1924 brought 2,000 guests to the new social capital of the Northwest, directed by rooftop searchlights that cut through the night sky. Hundreds of cars crowded the streets of downtown Seattle, their drivers trying to glimpse the awesome Romanesque structure: buff-faced brick and terra cotta trim with Belgian marble and granite. Guests entered a richly decorated lobby, paneled with American oak and illuminated by immense crystal chandeliers shimmering from the ceiling. Everyone agreed...the Olympic Hotel set new and inspiring standards for the most lavish of social events.
"It quickly became the place to go and the place to be seen." 2 Not only did the Olympic's style and grandeur exude a sense of beauty and sophistication, but it was the social center for Seattle's most prominent and well-known citizens. Famous guests were commonplace here, including every U.S. president since Herbert Hoover, astronaut John Glenn and such celebrity personalities as Elvis Presley, Bob Hope and John Wayne.
After being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, a massive restoration process was begun to restore the hotel to its original luster. The chandeliers, hidden away in the basement for years, were uncovered. The windows, painted during World War II and covered with mirrors, were revealed. Nearly twenty five years later, with over eighty five million dollars invested in its restoration, the 450-guest-room Olympic Hotel became the only AAA Five Diamond Hotel in Washington, earning that distinction for the twentieth consecutive year in 2004.
- Matt Harris, Writer (2004)
1 Author James Beard
2 Fairmont Hotels - "The Olympic, Seattle's Civic and Social Address: Nearly 80 Years"
