There’s no doubt you’ve heard the classic expression, “If these walls could talk.”
If The Willard Center – one of Washington, D.C.’s most treasured gathering places – could talk, it certainly would have a great deal to say!
The Willard Center offers luxury hospitality accommodations, elegant office spaces, fine dining and shopping, seasonal events, and an upscale spa all situated in a highly walkable area of Washington, D.C.
This busy hub is a popular spot for movie and television shoots and a meeting place for D.C. residents, politicians, entrepreneurs, and movers and shakers.
The Willard Intercontinental Washington, D.C. Hotel — located within The Willard Center — has its own rich history that dates back to the very early days of the United States.
Check out these five things you may not know about The Willard Center in Washington, D.C.
1. The Willard Hotel’s 200+ Years of American History
The Willard Intercontinental Washington, D.C. Hotel at The Willard Center was originally built by Captain John Tayloe in 1816 as six-row houses on the corner of 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
Two years later, the building was leased to Joshua Tennyson and was transformed into a hotel and Henry Willard was hired to run the hotel.
Then, in 1850, the Willard family remodeled the building’s interior and exterior, and the hotel was renamed Willard’s City Hotel.
The hotel quickly gained popularity for its proximity to Capitol Hill and the White House. Even in its early days, the hotel was a popular gathering for Washington, D.C.’s politicians and high society.
In fact, the term “lobbyist” is thought to have originated at The Willard, as it was a popular meeting place for business and social occasions by the late 19th century.
Since then, the Willard Hotel has served as the backdrop for several notable events in U.S. history. The University Club of Washington was founded in the hotel’s Red Room in 1904 and the National Press Club was founded at The Willard Hotel in 1908.
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sat in the hotel to make the final edits to his now-famous “I Have a Dream” speech mere hours before delivering his most famous address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
2. Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Helps Save The Willard Hotel, Launches Carr Workplaces
In the 1960s, the Willard Hotel experienced a significant decline and ultimately closed in 1968. The property was vacant for several years and numerous demolition plans were proposed but luckily never came to fruition.
In 1981, the current chairman and founder of Carr Companies and Carr Workplaces, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. joined forces with other local developers to save the historic Willard Hotel from demolition, which at that point had been vacant for 13 years.
Following three years of renovations, the Willard Hotel reopened in August of 1986 after having been closed for 18 years, bringing back to life one of Washington, D.C.’s most beloved gathering places.
In 2003, Mr. Carr founded Carr Workplaces intending to create flexible workspaces to function as centerpieces of communities across the nation where people can thrive.
Carr Workplaces’ coworking centers are located in Class A buildings that offer robust amenities, including on-site support, parking, fitness centers, meeting and conference rooms, event spaces and more.
With community-building and convenience in mind, all Carr Workplaces’ coworking centers also are situated within walking distance to high-end shopping destinations, residential areas, and upscale hotels.
Shortly after creating Carr Workplaces, the Carr Workplaces at The Willard Center coworking center was launched to accommodate tenants who needed flexible office suites.
Carr Workplaces at The Willard offers flexible, all-inclusive private offices that are ideal for confidential client meetings and focused work. Private offices come fully-furnished and feature 24/7 building access, locked doors, and four walls.
In addition to private offices, Carr Workplaces at The Willard also includes team spaces and multi-office suites that are ideal for small businesses. Move-in ready team spaces and suites are fully furnished and may be customized depending on your needs.
On-site event spaces including an atrium and courtyard, as well as high-end meeting and conference rooms also are available at the coworking center.
Today, The Willard Center brings together people from all across the world to work, shop, dine, play, and thrive.
The Willard Center today consists of elegant workspaces at Carr Workplaces, the historic Willard Intercontinental Hotel, an on-site restaurant Café du Parc, and The Occidental, an upscale restaurant that’s scheduled to open in the fall of 2024. Additionally, the center includes the Round Robin Bar, an on-site fitness center, parking, and the Willard Spa — everything you need to work, relax, recharge, and enjoy life.
3. Famous Guests
The list of famous guests who have stayed at The Willard Hotel is certainly a long one.
In the mid-19th century, author Mark Twain often visited the Willard Hotel. Legend has it that Twain loved to walk through the hotel’s F Street Lobby to make a dramatic descent to Peacock Alley below.
In 1853, President Franklin Pierce made The Willard his home, the first of many presidents and other famous Washingtonians to establish residency at the hotel.
A short time later in 1860, the Willard Hotel housed the first Japanese Delegation to the United States, a goodwill mission that led to the signing of a treaty between the two nations. The Willard family provided an entire floor of the hotel to the Japanese Delegation, as well as sole access to the 14 Street entrance and private dining facilities.
In 1861, then President-elect Abraham Lincoln took up residence at The Willard for 10 days before his inauguration. It’s said that Lincoln was smuggled into the hotel at night to avoid assassination attempts.
A year later, writer Julia Ward Howe wrote the now famous “Battle Hymn of the Republic” while staying at The Willard.
Another U.S. President, President Ulysses S. Grant, also frequented The Willard and was known to enjoy sipping whisky in the hotel’s lobby while enjoying a cigar. President Calvin Coolidge used The Willard as his residence in 1923 as he waited for the previous first family to vacate the White House.
Other notable guests include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as mentioned above, the Dalai Lama, President Jimmy Carter, President Barack Obama, and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
4. High-End Meeting and Conference Rooms
What you also may not know about The Willard Center is that high-end meeting and conference rooms are available on-demand through Carr Workplaces at The Willard Center and at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel.
In addition to offering upscale private offices, team spaces, shared coworking spaces, and Virtual Offices, Carr Workplaces at The Willard Center includes elegant meeting and conference rooms that are designed to impress.
Meeting and conference rooms at Carr Workplaces at The Willard Center may be booked through the center’s on-site community management team. Three meeting and conference rooms are available on-site, including the Pershing Meeting Room, which can accommodate up to 20 guests.
Twenty-seven beautiful and historic meeting and conference rooms are available at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel as well, able to accommodate between 20 and 400+ guests. Additional meeting and event spaces include the center’s courtyard, breezeway, and outdoor terrace.
The Willard Intercontinental Hotel can provide the perfect setting for your big event, whether it be a work conference, formal banquet, reception, or social gathering. Some of the hotel’s most dazzling and impressive meeting and event spaces include the Grand Ballroom, the Crystal Room, the Pierce Room, the Breezeway, and the Terrace.
When you book a meeting or event at the hotel, you’ll also enjoy access to event planners, an array of culinary and beverage options, state-of-the-art technology, dedicated receptionists, and audio and visual services.
5. The Willard Center’s Multimedia Hub
Something else that you may not know about The Willard Center is that it’s also home to a multimedia hub that is ideal for broadcasting and content creation.
Thanks to Big Whig Media, you can access The Willard Center’s fully-equipped media spaces situated in a historic location minutes from the White House right in the heart of Washington, D.C. Presently, the Willard Center’s multimedia hub includes two recording studios and four editing rooms.
Each of the six broadcasting studios at The Willard Center is fully equipped with a control room, live feed of the Washington Monument, green screens, LED light, news anchor desks, and multiple cameras.
The hub’s all-purpose multimedia space features fully-equipped broadcasting studios, advanced editing suites, a make-up room, streaming capabilities, and on-site technicians. This all-purpose multimedia space may be reserved by the hour, week, or day, depending on your needs.
You also have the option of purchasing bespoke lighting, professional sound packages, recordings of special events, and other custom media production services through Audio Visual Systems at the hub. AVS is a partner of The Willard InterContinental Hotel that offers media production services for on-site conferences, trade shows, and events.
Schedule a free tour or call our team at (866) 982-5803 to learn more about all that The Willard Center has to offer.
To explore The Willard Center further, check out “10 Reasons To Visit The Willard Center.”
Kw: The Willard Center
Md: Discover the hidden secrets of Washington, D.C.’s The Willard Center, one of America’s most historic gathering places that has been fostering community and connection for more than 200 years.
