Battle House Hotel

The original Battle House Hotel was opened by James Battle and his two half-nephews, John and Samuel, in 1852. The original building burned down in 1905 and was replaced by the construction of this building in 1908. It is currently called the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa.

Constructed in 1852, the first edition of the hotel was originally opened by James Battle and his two half-nephews. The stately brick structure was built on the location of a military headquarters set up by former President Andrew Jackson that he used during the War of 1812. The hotel had four stories with a two-story cast iron balcony. The hotel's location had been home to two other hotels, the Franklin Hotel and the Waverly Hotel. The Waverly was destroyed by fire, the same fate as the original Battle House.

Many notable guests stayed at the original hotel, including Stephen A. Douglas, a former United States Senator from Illinois and Democratic Nominee for President in 1860. Duglas was a guest here on the night he lost the presidency to Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln. Other notable guests of that era include Secretary of State Henry Clay, former President of the Confederate States Jefferson Davis, former President Millard Fillmore, and U.S. General Winfield Scott.

The hotel was renovated in 1900 and then destroyed by a fire on February 12, 1905. Afterward, Frank M. Andrews was hired to create and construct a new building, which was completed three years later. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson was at the hotel where he said his famous quote:

“The United States will never again seek one additional foot of territory by conquest.” ~Woodrow Wilson

The hotel would get bought by different employers until it closed in 1974 and remained vacant for the next 30 years. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 2003, Retirement Systems in Alabama bought the historic structure and began renovations that were completed in 2007. The current hotel is part of the Marriott chain and offers historic tours from a long-time employee and local celebrity known as Mr. George.

The Site of More Than 150 Years of Distinguished History , Historic Mobile Hotels and Alabama Accommodations . Accessed April 28th 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20060517204137/http://www.battlehousemobile.com/history.cfm.

Turkel, Stanley. Discover Battle House Renaissance Hotel and Spa, which sits on Andrew Jackson military headquarters during the War of 1812, Historic Hotels of America. Accessed April 28th 2021. https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/battle-house-renaissance-mobile-hotel-and-spa//history.php.

Turkel, Stanley. Great American Hoteliers: Pioneers of the Hotel Industry. 2009. Accessed April 28th 2021.