Last weekend we visited Chicago to search for venues for my daughter’s wedding. The tour of the Palmer House came with a history tour that was very enlightening. The first hotel was built as a wedding present from Potter Palmer to his bride Bertha Honoré. It opened on September 26, 1871, but 13 days later it burned in the Chicago Fire. Palmer hired architect John M. Van Osdel to rebuild it. The hotel was rebuilt again in 1925 and in 1945 was purchased by Conrad Hilton for $20 million.

Palmer House Lobby

Many famous visitors have stayed there including Grover Cleveland, Ulysses S. Grant, William Jennings Bryan,William McKinley, Mark Twain, L. Frank Baum, and Oscar Wilde. Next year it will host my daughter’s wedding in awesome style.

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