 January 15, 1913, saw the opening of Wilmington’s Hotel du Pont, one of the most lavish hotels of America’s Gilded Age and an immediate rival to Europe’s finest hotels. In its first week, 25,000 visitors toured the elegant rooms to see their rich woodwork, mosaic and terrazzo floors, handcrafted chandeliers, and gilded hallways, which had been created by a host of French and Italian craftsmen. The DuPont Theatre was a marvel in itself; even today, it is larger than all but three other stages in the nation. An extensive $40 million restoration has returned the lobby to its original grandeur, and each guestroom has been sumptuously refurbished. The hotel showcases original paintings of nationally recognized artists, including three generations of Wyeths.
1913
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