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Shamrock Hotel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Shamrock Hotel was a hotel located in Houston, Texas adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. The hotel was constructed between 1946 and 1949 by Glenn McCarthy at a location south of downtown in the Texas Medical Center. The hotel was the largest built in the United States in the 1940s. Adjacent to the hotel was a five-story, 1,000-car garage and swimming pool. The pool measured 165 by 142 feet and was described as the largest outdoor pool in the world. [1] The hotel was later sold to the Hilton hotel chain and was renamed the Shamrock Hilton.
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At the time it was built, it was an approximate three miles south of the downtown area of Houston. With a total of 18 stories and 1100 deluxe rooms, no expense was spared as it was opened on St. Patrick’s Day, 1949. [2] At the grand opening which some dubbed “Houston’s biggest party”, 150 Hollywood movie stars and executives would be present, drawing so much attention that actress Dorothy Lamour’s radio broadcast would be cancelled to cover the event. [2] To this day, this is still considered one of the biggest social events in Houston’s history. [3]
The hotel was purchased by the Texas Medical Center in 1985 and was demolished shortly thereafter on June 1, 1987. The lot was later built into an extra parking lot for the Medical Center.[4] [5] Prior to its demolition, historical preservationists held a rally in March 1986 protesting the redevelopment.[6]
- ^ http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/ccs5.html
- ^ a b Stephen Fox. "Shamrock Hotel." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed November 29, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ^ Staff Writer. "Houston Remember When, Vol. 1." Houston PBS. Accessed November 29, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ^ Texas Monthly Guide To Houston (1996) ISBN 0-87719-272-3
- ^ http://www.texmedctr.tmc.edu/root/en/GetToKnow/History/DetailedChronology.htm
- ^ Staff Writer. "Gone but not forgotten: 25 years of city memories." Houston Business Journal. Written September 27, 1996. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.