Take a step back in time. Houston's historic Rice
Hotel, which opened to the public in 1913, is
considered one of the finest hotels Houston has built
in the last century. Securely nestled in the heart of
downtown, the hotel was once a social mecca for the
rich, famous and powerful.
Here is a bit about the history of the Rice Hotel.
It was built on the original site of the first Capitol
of the Republic of Texas, and home of the first Texas
Congress from 1837 to 1839. The original Capitol
building was torn down in 1881 by a Colonel Groesbeck,
to make way for the new Capitol Hotel on Texas Street.
William Marsh Rice, the legendary founder of
Houston's Rice University, purchased the building in
1883 and added a five-story annex. He then named it
the Rice Hotel. In 1911, Rice University sold the
hotel to Jesse Jones, an early publisher of The
Houston Chronicle newspaper and a noted politician and
entrepreneur. Jones wasted no time in razing the
building and erecting a 17-story structure on the
site. The new hotel opened on May 17, 1913 at a cost
of over $2 million. Quite a lot in 1913 dollars!
Early on, the Rice had the distinction of hosting
the first air-conditioned commercial establishment in
Houston - the Rice Hotel Cafeteria, which opened in
1922. Several US presidents stayed there during their
travels. Many powerful political figures and
entrepreneurial movers and shakers met there to map
strategies and shape the destiny of our nation and
open new channels of commerce.
The private and exclusive Capital Club was the
prime meeting place for these politicians and power
brokers. The birth and decline of many companies and
enterprises was negotiated inside those walls. This
was the place you could stop and find the most
prominent members of the Houston business and
financial community.
For a number of years, the Rice Hotel enjoyed its
reputation as one of finest hotels Houston ever knew,
as well as a historic landmark. Known for its famous
"Rice Pudding", the Flag Room was a favorite
stop for fine cuisine and luxury service. The hotel
was home to a popular coffee shop as well as several
retail stores.
As often happens, though, many years of history and
tradition had to come to an end. With the Rice Hotel,
the end came in 1975 when a decision was made to shut
the hotel down. As many held their breath in hope and
anticipation, the hotel reopened for a short time in
1976. However, it wasn't meant to be, and the Rice
Hotel was permanently closed by court order and sold
at foreclosure in 1977.
After a few years of laying dormant, the old hotel
was renovated and reopened as the Post Rice Lofts, a
luxury apartment complex. Historically the same in
many respects, one of the finest hotels Houston ever
had enjoys new life serving a modern generation.
