Hermitage Hotel

One of Nashville’s most iconic phrases during the 20th Century was “Meet me at the Hermitage Hotel.” In addition to the hotel, Nashvillians often met up at the Hermitage’s Capitol Grill restaurant or Oak Bar after shopping or work. Whether meeting to eat or to stay the night, this hotel has remained the pinnacle of sophistication and glamor. The building’s distinctive Beaux-Arts architecture, which blends classical Italian and French Renaissance features, was the vision of renowned architect James Edwin Carpenter. Construction of the hotel began in 1908. 

The grand opening for Nashville’s first million-dollar hotel was held on September 17th 1910, and at the time it was the city’s third tallest building. Included on the long list of notable guests are many U.S. presidents including William Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George H.W. Bush. In fact, President Taft spoke at a banquet in the hotel ballroom in 1911. And the list of celebrity guests doesn’t stop with elected officials. Just to name a few: Charlie Chaplin, Babe Ruth, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash all stayed at the Hermitage.

In the 1940s, musician Francis Craig and his orchestra played an original song, titled “Near You,” in the Grill Room of the Hermitage. The song was performed regularly in the dining room and broadcast over the radio station WSM. Francis’s cousin Edwin Craig was the chairman of the National Life and Accident Insurance Company, which created the WSM radio station and the Grand Ole Opry. “Near You,” an upbeat, rhythmic tune soon caught the attention of producers, and in 1947 it became America’s top selling record, turning Craig into an instant celebrity. In 1974, “Near You” became the last song recorded by George Jones and Tammy Wynette as husband and wife.

The hotel also played an interesting role in the early automobile company called Marathon Motors. In 1911, to prove the superiority of cars to horses, the company drove two Marathons cars from the Hermitage Hotel to both ends of the state – as far east as Bristol and as far west as Memphis. Governor Ben Hooper welcomed the automotive pioneers as they arrived home from their journey.

For the very curious, venture downstairs and find the men’s restroom, famous for its decor and elegance. Although it remains a men’s restroom, the hotel allows women to go and have a look, as long as it’s empty. Inside, you will find a 1930s Art Deco inspired mint green and black color scheme. The walls are made with leaded-glass tiles, and the bathroom still boasts the original terrazzo floors and a shoeshine station. The bathroom won Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom Contest in 2008. 

The Hermitage Hotel was also a central location in one of the most important events in constitutional history. The hotel served as the headquarters for both sides of the Woman’s Suffrage debate in the hot summer of 1920. During those pivotal weeks, the hotel buzzed with women and men who supported the Nineteenth Amendment wearing yellow roses, and opponents of woman’s suffrage wearing red roses. On August 18th, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified and signed into law on August 26, 1920—over 100 years ago. In 2020, the hotel was designated as a National Historic Landmark—the highest level of historic designation in the U.S.—for it’s connection to the woman’s suffrage movement. If you want to learn more about Tennessee’s role in passing the amendment, take our Woman’s Suffrage Tour. The Hermitage Hotel is also on the Food for Thought, Capitol and Church Architecture, and Civil Rights Sit-Ins tours on Nashville Sites.

Walk back up 6th Avenue and take a LEFT at Union Street. Continue walking up Union until you reach 7th Avenue. Stop at the corner of 7th and Union and look to the right to view the Snodgrass Tennessee Tower, which is our next stop. The building’s original occupant was the National Life and Accident Insurance Company. Press “Next Stop” when you’re ready to continue.