Hutton Hotel history

Catt eventually became a high-school principle in Mason City, rising to become its first female superintendent in 1883.

Commissioned by 250 Nashvillians in 1908, the Hermitage Hotel provided hot and cold circulating water which was distilled to avoid typhoid fever.

Her abilities as a politician were soon recognized nationally, as Carrie Chapman Catt elevated her to serve as the Vice President of the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1917.

Catt also gained considerable support from President Woodrow Wilson, whom she had impressed with her organization’s assistance to the national war effort during World War I. President Wilson subsequently gave a speech in 1918 that spoke favorably about the prospects of female suffrage.

Yet, the single greatest political event to ever transpire within The Hermitage Hotel involved the statewide ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

1929: The Francis Craig Orchestra began performing at the Grill Room and the accompanying Oak Bar.

1953: Gloria Swanson visited the hotel when she showcased a clothing line at three separate fashion shows! By this point, The Hermitage Hotel was at the height of its original popularity, hosting countless Hollywood celebrities, country music icons, and prominent dignitaries.

As there were only 48 states in the Union at the time (Alaska and Hawaii would not join until 1959), the amendment was one state short of passing.

The Hermitage Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

After four years of construction work, the hotel reopened to great acclaim on March 6, 1981.

With our firm commitment to preservation, The Hermitage Hotel partnered with The Land Trust for Tennessee in 2008 to further our mission of conservation and sustainability.