Early Chicago Hotels: Chicago, Illinois

From their rise in the early 19th century, Chicago’s hotels were bustling centers of city life. The Great Fire in October 1871 destroyed all of that. But it also gave the city an opportunity to begin again with a fresh palette of architectural ideas. By the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, Chicago had built over 1,400 hotels and lodging houses, establishing it as the nation’s prime destination for business, conventions, and tourism. Early Chicago Hotels presents more than 200 postcards, inviting the reader to tour the stunning exterior and dazzling interior designs of Chicago’s architects. The city’s fi rst-class hotels, resorts, and lesser-known second-class hotels–many of which are long gone–are featured. These early hotels set the stage for the great palace hotels of the 1920s.