Hamilton Crowne Plaza
History
Franklin Square has always been a bustling, eclectic section of the nation’s capital. Its merits were recognized as early as 1877 when a four-story, Second Empire hotel was constructed on the site. It is the home of the innovative Franklin School, site of Alexander Graham Bell’s first wireless transmission in 1880. It was this spirit that made the area the logical home for the city’s legal, business and theater districts and a natural draw for visitors.
In 1921, the current eleven-story Hamilton Hotel was designed by architect Jules Henri de Sibour, who was responsible for a number of notable Washington buildings. It enjoyed great popularity throughout the 1930s and 1940s, hosting one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s inaugural balls and Hollywood’s singing cowboy Gene Autry and his horse, Champion. The Beaux Arts structure featured many neoclassical design elements, including a stately entrance with an arched stained glass window, vaulted ceilings, and refined wood moldings and trim work.
As the surrounding area fell into decline, the hotel’s prosperity suffered. It eventually was sold to the Salvation Army in the 1970s and was used as part of the Evangeline Home for Girls. During the later part of the decade, the hotel was sold again and revamped into commercial, office and retail space. Once again revitalized, it stands today as one of the city’s four remaining de Sibour buildings.
