Thursday Doors at the Palmer House Hotel

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When I booked my stay at the Palmer House Hotel for a trip to Chicago, Illinois, USA this past April, I was not anticipating a Thursday Doors post about the hotel itself. Yet, the opportunity presented itself, so I seized it! I should not have been surprised. The city of Chicago is an architecture lover’s dream, boasting a breadth of architectural styles from Neo-Classical to Neo-Gothic, Art Deco to Midcentury Modern, towering skyscrapers, and more.

The Palmer House is conveniently located at 17 East Monroe Street in Chicago’s historic “Loop” or city center. It is within walking distance of attractions such as the Art Institute, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, and the Chicago River, among others.

Image featured above: The main entrance to the Palmer House on East Monroe Street, featuring gilded bronze doors and a gleaming marquee that is visible for blocks on even the brightest of days. Neo-Classical details such as columns are evident in the frieze that adorns the marquee.

The Palmer House had elaborate beginnings in 1870 as a wedding present from dry goods merchant turned real estate developer Potter Palmer to his much younger wife, Bertha Honoré Palmer. Bertha Palmer possessed an extensive knowledge of architecture and design and was a true partner to her husband in his endeavors, including the design of the Palmer House.

Tragically, the Palmer House burned down in 1871 during the Great Chicago Fire. The hotel was rebuilt at the intersection of State and Monroe Streets in 1873.* However, as the city of Chicago grew into the second largest city in the United States – becoming a hub for immigration, the railroad, manufacturing, commerce, and trade – consumer demand for hotels grew as well, necessitating a complete demolition and expansive rebuild of the hotel at the same location from 1925-1927.* The renowned Chicago architectural firm Holabird and Roche (which later became Holabird and Root) was tapped to lead the design and rebuild of the hotel, constructing it in a Neo-Classical style with a massive 25 stories extending across one city block. It is this iteration of the hotel that endures to this day.

*In my research for this post, I encountered slight variance in dates relating to the Palmer House’s history.

The Palmer House was sold to hotelier Conrad Hilton in 1945, when it became the Palmer House Hilton and one of the flagship hotels of the prestigious Hilton Hotel chain. While it was sold to a private equity company in 2005, it continues to be managed by Hilton Hotels & Resorts and now carries the moniker “Palmer House… A Hilton Hotel.” As a testament to the hotel’s continued popularity and longevity, it remains the second-largest hotel in the city of Chicago with over 1,600 guest rooms.

After passing through the gilded bronze doors of the Palmer House’s main entrance, guests are greeted by The Peacock Door. Designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, the door’s two panels consist of solid bronze and depict two peacocks in profile. The door once resided in esteemed jeweler C.D. Peacock’s House of Peacock fine jewelry store, which was located on the first floor of the Palmer House for much of the twentieth century. Gilded bronze window panels from the former storefront flank the door. The complete ensemble is topped by the dark green marble once characteristic of the House of Peacock’s interior walls.

The Peacock Door, designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. While The Peacock Door did not appear until the third and current iteration of the Palmer House, Tiffany lamps and sconces adorned the lobby and walls of the hotel’s second iteration. Bertha Palmer was a fan of Tiffany’s work.
Closeup of the left and right panels of The Peacock Door. The peacock theme is carried throughout the hotel in its carpets and room keys.

Travertine marble staircases usher guests from the foyer of the hotel’s main entrance up to the sumptuous two-story lobby, a textbook example of Neo-Classical design. The lobby takes my breath away every time I enter it. I can’t help but feel as though I’m being transported back in time to another era, perhaps to the Gilded Age when Neo-Classism was one of the coveted architectural styles. I find myself thinking, they just don’t make them like this anymore!

The hotel lobby, replete with Neo-Classical details. First, the room is perfectly symmetrical, and not just in its dimensions. Note the symmetry in the 1) opposing pillars supporting the ceiling, 2) gilded bronze sconces and torchiers, and 3) columns, windows, sconces, and torchiers flanking the staircase and door to The Empire Room at the north end of the lobby. Second, the ceiling’s mural exhibits Neo-Classical traits such as geometric shapes and an allegorical theme (I was unable to determine the subject of the allegory). Finally, the marble walls, crown molding, and gilded ornamentation complete the grandeur synonymous with Neo-Classical design.

The grand entrance to The Empire Room, including its door, serves as the lobby’s focal point. The Empire Room was a mainstay on Chicago’s nightclub scene from 1932 to 1976 and is now used for conferences and events.

The door to The Empire Room. The perfectly symmetrical marble columns are finished with gold leaf capitals.
Broad view of the door to The Empire Room. The peacock theme is visible on the carpet. And a fun fact from popular culture… this door was featured on one episode of the Showtime comedy-drama series Shameless, which was set in Chicago. In the episode, the character Debbie Gallagher is seen rushing up the stairs to The Empire Room clad in an evening gown, on her way to a dance.

During its years as a nightclub, The Empire Room featured many of the iconic entertainers of the day.

A handful of the entertainers who performed at The Empire Room, often returning multiple times, from left to right: George Burns (as a young man! In my mind’s eye he’s always old with round-rimmed glasses. But his characteristic cigar is already present!), Tony Bennett, and Sonny & Cher. Photos are courtesy of the Palmer House.

The opulence, grandeur, and history of the hotel extends to the its elevator doors as well. The Palmer House was the first hotel in Chicago to incorporate an elevator into its design.

Two of the gilded elevator doors in the massive elevator bank behind the south side of the lobby. Due to the hotel’s extensive size, the cars go to different floors, so guests must pay attention to the floor indicators before boarding. These cars go up to floor 8 and then on to floors 18-23.
Westinghouse Selectomatic elevator car floor tracker dating back to the 1950s. While it is no longer in use, it serves as a both an artifact and contemporary link to the Palmer House’s extensive history.
Elevator bank on the floor where my husband and I stayed. While these elevator doors aren’t quite as grand as those in the lobby, the gilded bronze mirrors, ornamentation above the doors, crown molding, and marble mosaic flooring is all in keeping with the hotel’s Neo-Classical style.

Guests whose hotel rooms face State Street have a view of Chicago’s elevated train, commonly referred to as the “L.” If it is possible for a form of public transportation to be beloved, Chicago’s “L” is it. Its elevated tracks and rattling sound as it passes are two of the defining characteristics of Chicago’s Loop District. Like a loyal friend, it snakes through the Loop approximately once every three minutes.

Chicago’s “L” train and its elevated tracks, with the Palmer House in the background. And we mustn’t forget those doors! The doors of the “L” are visible, as are the doors leading to the fire escapes on the Palmer House’s lower levels. Two of the Palmer House’s massive red brick towers rise up above its limestone lower floors.

The Palmer House has had the honor of hosting many esteemed guests over the years. More recently in the early 2000s, my husband spotted Hollywood actor Gene Hackman in the lobby.

34th US President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower arriving at the hotel in the 1950s, greeted by the general manager. Photo is courtesy of the Palmer House Hotel.
Prince Charles arriving at the hotel in 1977, accompanied by Chicago’s mayor. Photo is courtesy of the Palmer House Hotel.

I’ll close this post with a fun snapshot of the hotel’s room key, featuring peacock feathers and the hotel’s twenty-first century moniker.

Thursday Doors is a weekly photo challenge hosted by Dan Antion on his blog No Facilities. Dan encourages door and architecture lovers throughout the world to create posts of doors and architecture photographed on their travels. Please visit the following web link to learn how to participate: https://nofacilities.com/category/thursday-doors/.

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Published by Dalmatian Insider

I enjoy blogging about my two favorite pursuits in life, figure skating (as a woman who returned to it in her 40s!) and travel. My travel entries are from various locales around the globe, including Croatia, a country where I have family.

38 thoughts on “Thursday Doors at the Palmer House Hotel”

  1. Thank you for presenting this lovely tour. Chicago is a wonderful city for studying architecture and for capturing doors of all designs. It’s hard to choose a favorite photo, but The Peacock Door is my favorite door. It’s a work of art, and I love the way they incorporated the design throughout the hotel. Wonderful photos from a grand city.

    Thank you, also, for including the history. I enjoy learning about the history of buildings, and this one certainly has an interesting past.

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    1. Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I can’t wait to go back to Chicago and explore its architecture in much greater detail. And thanks for the shoutout about history. I enjoy providing that additional context. It makes things extra meaningful!

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  4. Thank you for this! I grew up near Chicago and lived in the Loop for a while. It’s been many years since I’ve walked through those Palmer House doors, but I have done so, and it was a joy to do it again with your blog post. Yes, they don’t build them like this anymore!

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  11. What interesting history on the Palmer house. Wow… that peacock door is amazing! The whole place looks fabulous. I bet you really enjoyed staying there!
    This is definitely one I’ll share on my Pinterest board of Thursday Doors!

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    1. Thank you so much for your support and the kind words! I’m truly honored that you’re planning to share my post on your Pinterest Thursday Doors board! And yes… it was a great experience staying at the Palmer House… such a unique place and a welcome change from most hotels, which tend to all kind of be the same.

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  12. We visited Chicago about a decade ago. You’re absolutely right about how the architecture there is top notch. Great shots of the Palmer House. It was also neat to learn more about its history. The peacock door is splendid!

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    1. Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my blog! I’m amazed by how Chicago’s architecture continues to evolve, beginning in the mid-19th century and continuing through the present day, with a wide range of styles. The city is a true gem in many ways.

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  13. What a gorgeous hotel with a fascinating history! Chicago is one city I haven’t visited yet, and it’s at the top of my bucket list to check out in the US. Thanks for taking us along your visit (and looks like you got yourself a new follower)! 🙂

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    1. Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my blog and to follow! That means a lot 😊 I think you’d have a great time in Chicago… the history, architecture, museums, neighborhoods, and restaurants are exceptional!

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  15. What a beautiful hotel! And what a wonderful description you have written educating me about it. Dad enjoyed it too. He has stayed there. Love you, Mom

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  17. That’s a beautiful hotel – I love its classic and historic elegance and the Peacock Doors at the Palmer House are a stunning example of craftsmanship and artistic design – the feature of a peacock motif, with vibrant colours and detailed carvings depicting peacock feathers, is simply stunning. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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  18. I stayed at the Palmer house as a child in the early 1950’s. There is a photo of me and my sister in what was called the Princess Elevator. It was called that because an English princess had ridden in it. I think Princess Anne.

    Do you have any knowledge/information as to whether it was the Palmer House?

    Thanks

    Lynne

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    1. Fascinating! I’ll revisit my research (I have two dozen pages of it) on the hotel and let you know. I would not be surprised if they once had the elevator you are asking about. I do remember from my research that the Palmer House was the first hotel in Chicago to have an elevator. And so many dignitaries and celebrities stayed there over time. Thank you so much for stopping by! And stay tuned…

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