Introduction
Throughout time Washington D.C. has become an extremely important city in the United States. Being the capital of the country and home to the White House it is also the home of politics. Where there are politics there are politicians. The Willard hotel and the Ebbitt Grill have seen a fair number of these politicians walk through their doors. Because of this they have become well known in the city for the events they hold, and the Ebbitt has become well known as Washington, D.C.’s first saloon and a present day bar and grill. My research question was based on where the politically powerful gathered throughout time. I phrased it in this research question “throughout time where have the politically powerful gathered to conduct business over food and drink and are those places still in use today?” The Willard and the Ebbitt are exactly the types of places I was looking for when I started this research because throughout history they been the locations in Washington, D.C. to consistently host the politically powerful.
History
Old Ebbitt Grill
In 1856 The Old Ebbitt Grill became Washington’s oldest saloon. The exact location of this saloon is unknown and no records have been found to help locate it. It is thought to have been located on the west edge of Washington D.C’s present day China Town (Old Ebbitt Grill). In the beginning the saloon was also opened as a boarding house where people could stay. Similar to present day long term hotels or apartments. It was torn down and rebuilt in a different location then moved to make room for the National Press Building, which is still in that same location today. The business did not have a real name or title until 1961 and 1970 when there were ownership changes and the name Old Ebbitt Grill stuck (Wikipedia).
The Willard Hotel
It all started in 1816 when the land was acquired at the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 14th street by John Tayloe. He originally build six row houses, never expecting it to grow in the way it did and become the exquisite and renowned hotel it has become today. It was not until 1818 that the houses were leased to another man and it became used as a hotel. The original name of the hotel was The Mansion House taken over and run by John Strother in 1822. The name then changed a few more times from the American House to The City Hotel. Along with the name changes there were also ownership changes. This did not change the continuing success of the hotel however. Because of its location there was a continuous stream of customers. 1847 was when Henry Willard came into the picture as the owner of the newly renovated City hotel. Henry Willard shared this business with the family and The Willard’s then became very prominent figures in the political realm, being invited to the White house many times (InterContinental Hotels Group).
Importance in the Political World
Old Ebbitt Grill
Being a quality boarding house and then saloon in Washington, D.C. it is impossible not to have some politicians walk through the doors. The Old Ebbitt Grill’s “guest list read like a who’s who in American history” (Old Ebbit Grill). In the time of the Ebbitt House it took in very important guests, but also guests from the Willard Hotel. These two places share a deep historical connection. The property in the early years was sold to Caleb C. Willard, brother of Henry Willard who owned the Willard Hotel. From 1887 to 1889 Caleb C. Willard ran the hotel and while he was the owner many famous politicians frequently visited and dined there. The most famous being President McKinley. He and his wife lived there from 1877 to 1890 and dined in the restaurant almost every night. Along with William McKinley, Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant also dined there frequently (Wikipedia). This is very important because when a president dines and lives somewhere it shows that the establishment is very credible and high quality. Even if you don’t want to believe it, when a president goes somewhere in public it is always documented and there is a following of people that will now go to the establishment because the president went there. The presence of presidents and political figures in the Old Ebbitt Grill created a name for the establishment which still holds true today.
The Willard Hotel
Starting in 1851 the Willard brothers became socially prominent “Washingtonians” consistently being invited to White House social events. The first that they were invited to was President and Mrs. Taft’s Silver Wedding Anniversary. Because of the Willard’s ideal location and the Willard Brother’s social status many presidents resided at the Willard. In 1853 President- Elect Franklin Pierce stayed at the hotel while awaiting inauguration. Also at that time outgoing President Filmore took up residence there. It was not just an establishment that provided accommodations to United States political figures. In 1859 departing British Ambassador held the Naiper Ball in the Willard’s tenth floor ball room. This reception hosted 1,800 guests (Intercontinental Hotels Group). The prominence of this hotel globally is extreme. With a British Ambassador hosting an event at the Willard the word of the hotel spreads globally. More and more people will travel here to visit and host events. Each time a political figure hosts an event and has a good outcome, the credibility of the establishment goes up. This was clearly seen at the Willard.
Today
Today these two establishments are prominent figures in Washington, D.C. life. The Ebbitt Grill continues to serve quality American food to people everyday. The Willard Intercontinental Hotel is seen on the route of each Inaugural Parade, showing its importance in the history of presidential inaugurations.
Citations:
"History." Old Ebbitt Grill. Accessed May 10, 2014. http://www.ebbitt.com/about/history.
"Old Ebbitt Grill." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, May 10, 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_Ebbitt_Grill&Oldid=592538662.
InterContinental Hotels Group. "TImeline - The Willard." Washington.intercontinental.com, 2013. http://washington.intercontinental.com/timeline#political_history/.