William Penn Hotel - History

History

Built from 1915 to 1916, the William Penn opened on March 11, 1916, in what newspapers hailed as the Grandest Hotel in the nation, its first night it hosted the annual Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce Gala and was recorded as the largest gala in city history up to that time with U.S. Secretary of State Philander Knox hosting the event.

The hotel was bought from its original owners, the Pittsburgh Hotel Company, in 1928 by the Eppley Hotel Company. Eugene Eppley financed a major expansion in 1929 that made the William Penn the second largest hotel in the world . However he lost control of the hotel during the Great Depression and the new owners brought in Statler Hotels, which managed the hotel form 1940-1951. Eppley regained controlling interest between 1950-1954, assuming management of the hotel back from Statler on January 1, 1952. The hotel's sale on June 4, 1956 from the Eppley Hotel Company to the Sheraton Corporation was part of the second largest hotel sale in United States history. The hotel was renamed the Penn-Sheraton Hotel. Sheraton sold the hotel to local investors on May 22, 1968 and it returned to its original name. The William Penn joined Western International Hotel sin the 1970s, and when that company was renamed, the hotel became the Westin William Penn. Finally, it became the Omni William Penn on January 31, 2001.

Among the major events that the hotel has hosted:

• April 28, 1930: The Gideon Society holds its 50th annual convention at the hotel, passing out over 500 bibles.
• October 17, 1930: A Gala for the governors of the Pittsburgh Tri-State (Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia) celebrated with speeches and presentations on the opening of the Lincoln Highway in their respective states.
• November 3, 1930: A statement from President Herbert Hoover is released at the gala celebrating the 10th anniversary of KDKA-AM and the world radio industry.
• January to February, 1937: Count Basie and His Orchestra play the "Chatterbox." Live broadcast recorded and issued in 1974 by Jazz Archives Recordings (JA-16). First known recording of Basie band with Lester Young, Hershel Evans, Buck Clayton, et al.
• March 26, 1938: The formation of Point State Park and what would become the Pittsburgh Renaissance is announced in the ballroom to 600 invited local leaders and dignitaries.
• July 17, 1942: The United Steelworkers hold a major conference in response to war time steel needs and accepted the 44 cents wage proposed by the War Labor Board.
• January 15, 1948: George C. Marshall delivers a nationally aired address to the 74th annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. He also made world news ending speculation that he would run for president.
• February 15, 1950: The first Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy is held in the hotel.
• October 9, 1956: Dwight D. Eisenhower gives a major speech in the hotel's ballroom.
• September 3–5, 1960: The 18th World Science Fiction Convention is held at the hotel.
• September 21, 1963: Lyndon B. Johnson hosts a major speech at the hotel and stays the night in the presidential suite.
• September 3, 1980: Maureen Reagan on the campaign trail for her father, Ronald Reagan speaks at a fundraiser at the hotel.
• April 5, 1984: Walter Mondale speaks at a reception held in his honor at the hotel.
• June 20-22, 1999: The 2nd annual International Trails & Greenways Conference.

From 1939 until the 1960s the hotel was the annual host for the region's Dapper Dan Sports Awards Banquet.

Pittsburgh based Alcoa announced on January 24, 1984 that it would gift the necessary $20 million for the rehabilitation and modernization of the hotel, which was successfully completed within a year.