A unique look at Washington's landmark hotels and its cultural history
Any large city's marquee hotels are a great barometer of its social and cultural life. Washington DC, is exceptional in this regard, because visitors—from officials, diplomats, and lobbyists to everyday tourists—are so critical to the city's essential purpose as the nation's capital. The city's hotels have also been residences for locals and have served as important social centers, hosting events ranging from weddings and concerts to inaugural balls and the White House Correspondents Dinner.
Palaces of the Public is a lively, in-depth, highly illustrated, history and architectural tour of the city's hotels, past and present. John DeFerrari explores the fascinating evolution of hostelries, from the taverns of the eighteenth century, to the boarding houses of the pre–Civil War era, to the creation of the modern hotel. Special chapters address the history of hotels for women, tourist hotels, and hotels run by and for African Americans in the days of segregation. Later chapters highlight the rise of motels in the mid–twentieth century, boutique hotels in recent years, and the impact of historic preservation on saving old hotel buildings.
Readers interested in Washington's history, architecture, and historic preservation will be drawn to this book, with its unique perspective on how the city's culture and society developed over time.
Reviews
"Palaces of the Public is more than an engaging historical narrative of the grand hotels—the 'palaces'—of Washington. It is a captivating story of their inner workings, and of the people who built, frequented, managed and—voluntarily, or not—staffed them. Equally architectural and historical in its emphasis, this book is a must read about a most notable building type."—Kim Prothro Williams, architectural historian and author, Hidden Alleyways of Washington, DC: A History (GUP 2023)
"John DeFerrari is a DC treasure. In Palaces of the Public, DeFerrari deftly draws upon vast stores of local insight to tell a fascinating story of a changing city, from the taverns and boardinghouses of the early nineteenth century to the boutique hotels and full-service chains of the twenty-first-century global metropolis."—Chris Myers Asch, author, Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation's Capital
"Washington, DC, is a city of hotels—this engaging and indispensable history tells the stories of the people who built them, worked in them, and visited them over more than two centuries."—M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska, American University
"DeFerrari weaves a compelling narrative around the full range of Washington's hotels, discussing topics such as layout, furnishings, and social events, as well as lobbying, crime, and enslavement. The stories of the people who built, visited, and worked in these establishments are explored with lively prose and perceptive detail."—Alison K. Hoagland, author, The Row House in Washington, DC: A History
"This history of DC hotels focuses on the 'central paradox' of imparting elite status to any white guests who could afford to stay there. DeFerrari enriches his argument by means of evidence drawn from an abundance of primary and secondary sources. Palaces of the Public effectively utilizes local libraries and archives."—James Kirkpatrick Flack, retired University of Maryland history professor, editor of Records of the Columbia Historical Society (vols. 51–52)
About the Author
John DeFerrari is a native Washingtonian with a lifelong passion for local history and historic preservation, which he writes about in his blog, "Streets of Washington." He is the coauthor of Sixteenth Street NW: Washington, DC's Avenue of Ambitions and several other books.
