Walla Walla - November 14, 2001 - Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center is a newly restored luxury hotel, having just undergone a $35 million renovation.  This grand hotel has stood as a landmark in Walla Walla since it opened originally in 1927.  Located in the heart of Washington Wine Country, just minutes from the airport, and one-block from downtown Walla Walla, the Hotel is the ideal location for any event.  

The historic, main tower houses 16 luxury suites, 4500 square feet of meeting space, the grand Renaissance Ballroom and Empire Room which will serve as banquet facilities, the beautifully restored Georgian Room where guests can relax fireside, and the meticulously restored lobby where Afternoon Tea is served each Saturday.  The Hotel�s restaurant, The Marc, serves breakfast, lunch and an up-scale dinner daily, as well as providing room service, and catered banquet and conference fare from the Hotel�s expanded kitchen.  The West Wing of the Hotel offers 72 deluxe rooms and 3 junior suites.  All rooms in the Hotel feature Italian crafted furnishings, high-speed Internet access, 2-line speakerphones with voicemail, and exceptional amenities.  

New additions to the property include the Vineyard lounge and Cellar, private dining room, as well as a 5500 square foot conference center.  The audio visual package that operates in the center gives groups the ability to receive satellite and Internet broadcasts, to record and videotape events, and to watch presentations on built-in large screens from high-end projectors that drop from the ceiling.

The Hotel is filled with many works of art, including such noted local artists as Leslie Cain, Wanda Hart, Aaron Burgess and Carol Cole.  Beautiful pieces done by Eliza Barchus also adorn the public areas of the Hotel.  Additional gallery space is located on the 2nd floor where David Manuel�s 35-piece oil series of the Whitman Mission and 1847 massacre is displayed.

The Hotel looks forward to being listed on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places, and is currently listed on the Washington State Registry.  Extra care went into matching minute details to original photos and descriptions, and special processes were implemented during the reconstruction in order to meet the Register�s strict guidelines.
Once again, the beautiful building has a bright future.  What started as a labor of love wrought by the people of Walla Walla, once again serves as a center of community activity and pride.
 

History of the Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center

In 1805 and 1806, Lewis and Clark blazed a trail through the Walla Walla region and loved what they saw. Thirty years later, missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman built a mission among the Cayuse Indians near Walla Walla. Since then, "Whitman" has become one of the most used names in the valley - from Whitman Street to Whitman College. So it makes sense that in 1927 the people of Walla Walla decided to honor Marcus Whitman by naming their new hotel after him. Area citizens realized they needed a place to hold social gatherings and offer overnight accommodations for a growing tourist industry. W.W. Baker of local Baker Boyer Bank convinced Real Estate Improvement Company of Seattle to commit $300,000 to build and operate a 12-story luxury hotel in Walla Walla - if the people in the area could raise $150,000 within 90 days. Walla Walla rose to the occasion. After only two weeks of selling $100 subscriptions up and down the valley, the excited community had raised the necessary funds - and in the process became shareholders in the project. A month later the money was in the bank and construction began in September 1927. Amid much enthusiasm, the Marcus Whitman Hotel officially opened on September 1, 1928. That first day more than 1,000 meals were served in the coffee shop and  main dining room. In the early days, Walla Wallans referred to the building simply as "The Hotel" because there was nothing else like it for hundreds of miles. During the first half of the century the Georgian Ballroom and Empire Dining Room were the site of important conventions and meetings. President Dwight D. Eisenhower stayed at the Hotel in 1954 when he dedicated McNary Dam. Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson visited in 1962 during dedication ceremonies for Ice Harbor Dam. During the 1970s, '80s and '90s, the Marcus Whitman began to slide into disrepair. In 1999, Kyle Mussman formed Real Estate Improvement Company and bought the historic structure. Sharing a community vision with the City and Port of Walla Walla, they renovated, restored, and expanded the grand old building to provide not only classic elegance and style, but also cutting-edge technology for twenty-first century conference needs.