| Galt House | |
|---|---|
| The Galt House stands on Fourth Street, by the Ohio River | |
| Location | 140 N 4th St., Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40202[1] |
| Opening date | 1837 |
| Website | galthouse.com |
The Galt House is a 25-story, 1300-room hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original hotel was erected in 1837. The current Galt House is presently the city's only hotel on the Ohio River. Many noted people have stayed at the Galt House, including Jefferson Davis, Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
A $60 million renovation of the complex has been completed, which consists of extensively renovated east and west towers connected across Fourth Street with a new $4 million conservatory. The 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) conservatory is three stories in height and enclosed by steel and glass. It features a cafe, a cocktail lounge and gathering area, an aviary and greenhouse space on one level with large trees and foliage. It offers views of downtown Louisville and the Ohio River. Furthermore a newly constructed pedestrian bridge crossing Main Street connects the Galt House and Riverfront Plaza Towers with the rest of the Downtown Louisville skybridge system.
The Galt House is home to the command center for Thunder Over Louisville, the nation's largest fireworks show, held annually as the kickoff event for the Kentucky Derby Festival. It also hosts the Kentucky State Governor's Cup academic competition every year.
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The Galt House was, in the early 19th century, the residence of Dr. W.C. Galt. The house was located at the corner of Second and Main Street.
In 1834, the first instance of the Galt House as a hotel was established and in 1835 was opened as a 60-room hotel on the northeast corner of Second and Main streets in Louisville. During the nineteenth century, The Galt House was acclaimed as Louisville's best hotel.
During the Civil War, the Galt House was utilized for meetings of Union generals. In September 1862, it was the scene of an unusual murder, when General Jefferson C. Davis (not to be confused with Confederate President Jefferson Davis) shot Union General William "Bull" Nelson after a dispute. In March 1864, Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman met at the Galt House to plan the invasion that led to the successful capture of Atlanta, Georgia and Sherman's March to the Sea. What was to be the first Galt House burned down in 1865.
Four years later, in 1869, a larger Galt House was established on the corner of First and Main streets. Known as being the center of Louisville's social community during this time, the hotel subsequently fell on hard times in the next 50 years and was closed in 1919 due to financial difficulties. Soon after, in 1921, the building was demolished.
Almost half a century later, in 1973, the Galt House was reestablished by developer Al Schneider as part of Louisville's Riverfront Urban Renewal Project. An east tower was added in 1984, and the hotel has become the largest hotel in Kentucky. Every year since 1986, the statewide Governor's Cup has been held at the Galt House.