Photograph of the Maxwell House Hotel ballroom, aken by Wiles-Hood, circa 1910. -photos courtesy of the Tennessee State Library & Archives

In the 1800’s, John Overton, owner of Traveller’s Rest, purchased the land at the corner of Church Street and Fourth Avenue, North (then called Cherry Street) and started construction of his vision of a grand hotel, the Maxwell House Hotel. Overton named the hotel in honor of his wife, whose name was Harriet Maxwell Overton.

Only a portion of the hotel was finished before the interruption of the Civil War. The portion that had been completed served as Confederate barracks and a storehouse prior to Nashville’s capture. Following capture, the partially built Maxwell House Hotel was used by the Union forces as a hospital and prison.

After the Civil War, John Overton’s son, John Overton, Jr. (known as “The Colonel”) took over his father’s financial empire and completed the building of the hotel at a cost of $250,000, which was a tremendous sum of money for that time. The grand hotel was opened on September 22, 1869.

I have glorious memories of that grand, historic hotel standing on the corner of Fourth and Church where a large bank building stands today.

Before the hotel burned in 1961, the grand hotel served many famous people. One such guest was the renowned writer, William Sydney Porter, who went by the name of O. Henry. He enjoyed his stay at the hotel so much that he began to write a short story about the hotel and Nashville while crossing the Cumberland River railroad bridge as he departed the city. He titled his short story “A Municipal Report.”

Eight presidents of the United States have been guests at the Maxwell House at some time.

The Cheek-Neal Company named their coffee after the name of the hotel. While on a visit to Nashville, President Theodore Roosevelt was served Maxwell House Coffee at a breakfast at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage.

The Maxwell House Hoten in 1925. Signs included Maxwell Corner Store, Western Union and English Woolen Mills. -photo by Calvert Bros Photography

President Roosevelt referred to the cup of coffee as “good to the last drop.” This slogan started an advertising campaign for the coffee which still exists today.

Over the years, just a few of the other prominent guests registering at the Maxwell House were Otis Skinner, Sarah Bernhardt, Enrico Caruso when he came to sing in Nashville, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, William Jennings Bryan, and John Phillip Sousa.

I have wonderful memories of the hotel’s grandeur. I recall Nashville ladies dressed in beautiful evening gowns and men in their tuxedos heading to the ballroom for wonderful dinner parties. We felt such dignity as we walked from the ornate lobby up to the plush grand staircase with its carved railings. The open, stately staircase led to the lavish mezzanine just outside the ballroom where generals and presidents had strolled overlooking the hotel lobby.

Walking into the ballroom held us in awe as we gazed upon its spaciousness, the high ceiling, its eloquent columns, and its tasteful decorativeness where we were to utilize the same space that had been used by notables back from the Civil War days until our presence in 1961.

At Christmas time of 1961, the grand old Maxwell House caught fire and burned out of control. From 1961 on, all we have are our memories.

E. D. Thompson can be contacted at [email protected]