United Hotels Company of America

Last updated
United Hotels Company of America
Company type Public
Industry Hotels
Founded1910
Defunct1945
Headquarters Niagara Falls, New York U.S.
Number of locations
60+ (at peak)
Area served
United States, Canada, Caribbean
Key people
Frank A. Dudley
J. Leslie Kincaid

United Hotels Company of America, also known as United Hotels Company, was a chain of upscale hotels in the United States. The company was headquartered in Niagara Falls, New York, with administrative offices in New York City. [1] The company was founded in 1910 by Frank A. Dudley and by the 1930s, the company was "the largest hotel group in the world under one control." [2] [3]

Contents

History

The "United Hotels Company" was founded in 1910 and incorporated in the state of New York by Frank A. Dudley and F. W. Rockwell. [3] On February 16, 1917, the company reorganized as "United Hotels Company of America" and was incorporated in the state of Delaware. [4]

The company built and operated "first class fire proof hotels" in the more important cities of the United States and Canada. The strategy of the United Hotels Co. was to control 51% or more of the stock of all of its subsidiary operating companies (with certain exceptions, such as "The Onondaga Co.", where 90% of the stock was controlled by the officers of the United Hotels Co.). All of the companies operated the hotels under leases (except King Edward Hotel Co. Ltd., Clifton Co. Ltd., and Mount Royal Hotel Co. Ltd.). The United Hotels Co. owned substantial interests in the company stocks of the real estate companies whose hotels are leased to the operating companies. [4]

Under the direction of hotelier and president Frank A. Dudley, the company eventually grew to become one of North America’s premier hotel companies, operating some of the finest hotels across the United States and Canada. By 1922, the company was operating eighteen hotels, and twenty-five by 1928. [3] In 1924, Gen. J. Leslie Kincaid became president of the company. [5]

"United Hotels Company of America" Stock Certificate United Hotels Company of America Stock.jpeg
"United Hotels Company of America" Stock Certificate

By the 1930s, and with the onset of the Great Depression, the company was forced into receivership in November 1933, but it managed to reorganize in May 1934. The earnings of the individual hotels had shrunk by such a percent in the preceding four years that 80% of mortgages were in default, and in some cases, taxes and interest on first mortgages were unpaid. [1] Continuing under Dudley, the newly organized "United Hotels Co. of America" was once again incorporated in New York with headquarters in the United Office Building [6] in Niagara Falls. [1] At that time, the company was also affiliated with the "American Hotels Corporation" chain, making it "the largest hotel group in the world under one control." [2] [3]

When Dudley, who was president of "United Hotels Company of America", vice-president of "American Hotels Corporation", and president or vice-president of 24 subsidiary hotel companies, died on September 21, 1945, at the age of 81, the hotel chain was managing 60 hotels. [3] After his death, many of the company's hotels were acquired by other hotel chains, such as the Hilton Hotel. [7]

Company timeline

Properties

Domestic

United Hotels Company Ad United Hotels Company Ad.jpg
United Hotels Company Ad
United Hotels Company of America Ad United Hotels Company of America Ad.jpg
United Hotels Company of America Ad

While in operation, the company operated several upscale and famous hotels in the United States, including:

International

In Canada, the company operated:

Outside the United States and Canada, the company operated:

International affiliates

The "United Hotels Company" was affiliated international with Important Hotels of U.N.I.T.I. "Unione Nazionale Industrie Turistiche Italiane" in Italy; the "Japan Hotel Association", [20] Tokyo, Japan; "United Travel and Hotel Bureau", headquarters in Paris.

See also

Notes

  1. The modern Tutwiler Hotel is an entirely unconnected business, which opened in 1986 in a converted apartment building, formerly The Ridgely.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Falls, New York</span> City in New York, United States

Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and named after the famed Niagara Falls which they share. The city is within the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area and the Western New York region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Central Railroad</span> American Class I railroad (1853–1968)

The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midwest, along with the intermediate cities of Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Rochester and Syracuse. New York Central was headquartered in New York City's New York Central Building, adjacent to its largest station, Grand Central Terminal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upstate New York</span> Region of New York state

Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Island, and most definitions of the region also exclude all or part of Westchester and Rockland counties, which are typically included in downstate New York. Major cities across upstate New York from east to west include Albany, Utica, Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western New York</span> Region in New York, United States

Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY includes the cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Jamestown, and the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands and Niagara Frontier, and Chautauqua-Alleghany. Many would also place Rochester and the Genesee Valley in the region, while some would also include the western Finger Lakes within the region. Others would describe the latter three areas as being in a separate Finger Lakes region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tops Friendly Markets</span> American supermarket chain based in the Buffalo, New York area

Tops Friendly Markets is an American supermarket chain based in Amherst, New York, that operates stores in Upstate New York, Vermont, and Northern Pennsylvania. The chain operates full-scale supermarkets. Tops is a subsidiary of Northeast Grocery, which also owns the Price Chopper and Market 32 supermarkets based in Schenectady, New York. As of August 2022, the company operated 149 stores and 59 gas station/convenience stores. The chain formerly operated stores in Ohio and Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Gannett</span> American publisher, founder of Gannett Company

Frank Ernest Gannett was an American publisher who founded the media corporation Gannett Company. He began his career in 1906 as half owner of the Elmira Gazette. He soon added newspapers in Ithaca, Rochester, Utica, and other cities in upstate New York. At the time of his death, the chain included twenty-two daily newspapers, four radio stations, and three television stations, largely based in the state of New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Office Building</span> Historic commercial building in New York, United States

United Office Building, now known as The Giacomo, is a historic Mayan Revival, a subset of art deco, skyscraper in Niagara Falls, New York, US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York State Route 18</span> Highway in New York

New York State Route 18 (NY 18) is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County. NY 18, which also passes through Orleans County, acts as a northerly alternate to NY 104, another east–west route that parallels NY 18 to the south on Ridge Road. The western terminus of NY 18 is at a complex grade-separated interchange with NY 104 outside the village of Lewiston. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with NY 104 in an area of Rochester known as Eastman Business Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Railway (New York–Ontario)</span> Former urban transit company in Buffalo, NY

The International Railway Company (IRC) was a transportation company formed in a 1902 merger between several Buffalo-area interurban and street railways. The city railways that merged were the West Side Street Railway, the Crosstown Street Railway and the Buffalo Traction Company. The suburban railroads that merged included the Buffalo & Niagara Electric Street Railway, and its subsidiary the Buffalo, Lockport & Olcott Beach Railway; the Buffalo, Depew & Lancaster Railway; and the Niagara Falls Park & River Railway. Later the IRC acquired the Niagara Gorge Railroad (NGRR) as a subsidiary, which was sold in 1924 to the Niagara Falls Power Company. The NGRR also leased the Lewiston & Youngstown Frontier Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trailways of New York</span> Privately held transportation company

Trailways of New York is one of the largest privately held transportation companies based in New York State. It employs over 450 people and carries passengers more than 80 million miles annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James A. Johnson (architect)</span> American architect

James Addison Johnson was an American architect known for his design of various architectural landmarks in Buffalo, New York, and his use of decorative work that many consider a foreshadowing of art deco design.

This article brings together lists of artists, locations, artistic productions and movements associated with upstate New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Niagara</span> Hotel in New York

The Hotel Niagara is a landmark hotel in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotel Utica</span> Building in Utica, New York

The Hotel Utica is a historic hotel building in Utica, New York. It was designed by Esenwein & Johnson, an architectural firm from Buffalo, for United Hotels Company of America. The hotel was restored with public funding and reopened in 2001. Since 2017 it has been named Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Utica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clifton Hotel (Canada)</span> Former historic hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

The Clifton Hotel was a historic hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It was the site of the 1914 Niagara Falls Peace Conference. It burned down on December 31, 1932.

Esenwein & Johnnson was an architectural firm of Buffalo, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Caryl Ely</span> American politician

William Caryl Ely was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank A. Dudley</span> American politician

Frank Alonzo Dudley was an American lawyer, politician, hotelier and business owner associated with Niagara Falls, New York. Dudley established the United Hotels Company of America and the "Lewiston Heights" neighborhood in Lewiston, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Schoellkopf</span>

Arthur Schoellkopf was an American industrial leader who helped develop the hydroelectric resources of Niagara Falls and served as the fifth Mayor of Niagara Falls, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul A. Schoellkopf</span> American industrialist (1884–1947)

Paul Arthur Schoellkopf was an American industrialist and the third generation of Schoellkopfs to manage the hydroelectric power plants of Niagara Falls. Schoellkopf served as chairman of the Buffalo Niagara Electric Corporation and was a trustee of Cornell University.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Receivers Named for Hotel Firm" (PDF). The New York Times. November 18, 1933. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Hotel Chain Reorganizes" (PDF). The New York Times. May 3, 1934. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Frank A. Dudley of United Hotels" (PDF). The New York Times. September 22, 1945. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Moodys Manual of Railroads and Corporation Securities, Volumes 1-2. New York: Poor's Publishing Company. 1921. pp. 639–643. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  5. "Dinner to Manager of New Hotel". The New York Times . 28 September 1924. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  6. "United Hotels Company of America". stocklobster.com. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 Carie, Patrick. "United Hotels Co". restaurantwarecollectors.com. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  8. "Court Approves Plan for Roosevelt Hotel; Receivers Directed to Aid Reorganization" (PDF). The New York Times. January 26, 1934. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "New York Hotel Record, Volumes 19-20". July 26, 1921: 13. Retrieved 17 October 2015.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. "Volunteers of America Building - Controlled Demolition, Inc". YouTube .
  11. Holland, Jeri. "Portage Hotel". akronhistory.org. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. "Portage Hotel". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. Chen, David W. (June 25, 1995). "Paterson Hopes Hotel's Rebirth Will Lead the City's Way". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. "The Stacy-Trent Hotel, Trenton, New Jersey". tripod.com. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. Bass, Erin Z. (December 3, 2014). "100 Years of History at Birmingham's Tutwiler Hotel" . Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  16. Magee, Gene (August 22, 2011). "Historic El Conquistador Hotel". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. "Prince Edward Hotel, Windsor, Ont., Canada". uwindsor.ca. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. "History of Gagnon Demolition".
  19. "Admiral Beatty Hotel". historicplaces.ca. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. "Japan Hotel Association". j-hotel.or.jp. Retrieved 17 October 2015.