Evening star., 1926-05-23
PASSING OF HISTORIC SHOREHAM
RECALLS NOTABLE GATHERINGS
Long Series of Brilliant Functions and Ilustrious Of
fetal Life, Including Presidential and Ambassa.
dorial Hospitality, Coming to Close.

Another chapter in Washington
hotel history is coming to close. On
the last day Of May the Shoreham
Hotel will bid farewell to its last
guest and shut its doors to the public.
1t is q brilliant SO years since for
men Vice President Levi P. Morton
built the famous hostelry on the site
Of one of the best known old houses
in Washington. The original house
had belonged to Samuel Harrison
Smith of the National Intelligencer.
and was afterwards owned by Repre-
sentative Samuel Hopper. In it
Gen. George B. Mcclellan lived briefly
when he was restored to command of
the Army of the Potomac by Lincoln
in 1862. It's neighbors were once the
homes of Gen. William Tecumseh
Sherman at 817 Fifteenth street and
James G. Blaine at 821 during the
administration of President Hayes. A
block away, on the corner of Lafayette
Square, is the Cosmos Club, and the
square itself is also one Of the most
interesting places in all Washington.
Washington has been noted for
world famous hotels since the days Of
1891, when Suter's Tavern was open
ed in historic Georgetown. Some of
the books written in the sos rail at
poor food and accommodations, but
even they admit the brilliance Of the
men and women who congregated in
the lobbies and corridors. And by the
time the Shoreham opened its doors,
a we'll defined standard of excellence
in cuisine and service had been estab-
lished.
Name From Vermont.
The name "Shoreham" is for Levi
Morton'S birthplace in Vermont, and
the hotel itself. probably because 1t
was smaller, more intimate. and be-
cause of it's ownership, assumed at
once a leading place in the social life
of the city.
In 1912 it was bought by j. Maury
Dove. and that Summer 1t was re-
decorated completely. On January 4,
1918, 1t was reopened under the man.
agement Of Robert Downs, and short
ly afterwards Robert c. Dove took
over the position of managing direc.
tor. But he went into the war in
1917 as a captain and j. Maury Dove.
jr., held the reins until 1919, when
Robert G. Dove came back.
Two remarkable dinners were given
at the Shoreham Immediately after II
reopened in 1918. one to President Taft
and the other to Senator Guggenheim.
Woodrow Wilson had a suite in the
hotel, and went to his inaugural from
it's portals. He gave a family dinner
the night before that. and Princeton
class. 10. celebrated the night of
March 4, 1918, by another dinner
there.
Vice President Marshall lived in the
Shoreham for two years, going also
to take his oath from his rooms there.
Kost Tells History.
Leon J. Kost assistant manager.
who was in position to know whim
sicalities Of the folk who came to the
Shoreham, relates:
1T has been to me the most won
derful hotel of those in which I have
worked, including the Metropole in
London, the Roma in Milan. the Wal.
dorf in New York. and the Bellevue
Stratford in Philadelphia. Never
have l seen so many gatherings Of
powerful and famous people. During
the Wilson administration, we had a
White House table, and there
was almost never a cabinet meeting
that did not end at luncheon here.
Among the Republicans who stayed
here was Senator Lodge.
MANY foreign commissions had