Happy Anniversary to the historic Hawthorne Hotel!

Celebrating 85 years as a legend on the North Shore in 2010, Hawthorne Hotel certainly knows what it is like to have some history! In 1923, the Salem Chamber of Commerce and the Salem Rotary began arrangements to build a “modern hotel for Salem.” After more than half a million dollars worth of stock was sold, construction began on the hotel, designed by architect Philip Horton Smith. At the time, it was the largest Colonial Revival structure in Salem. Some of the notable architectural features include: corner quoins, 18' Palladian windows, and recessed arched windows – designs popular in Georgian and Federal-style buildings.

Today, the Hawthorne Hotel is recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a Historic Hotel of America.

Named after celebrated Salem author Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote The House of the Seven Gables and The Scarlet Letter, the hotel has been home to book signings and many poetry and book readings. With modern stories like The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (published in 2008 by HarperCollins) that include the Hawthorne Hotel within its pages, our connection to the literary world has been sealed.

Over the years, the Hawthorne Hotel has hosted many well-known personalities including
newsman Walter Cronkite, actress Betty Davis, General Colin Powell, former Presidents
George Bush and Bill Clinton, and New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. In 1984,
Vanessa Redgrave made the hotel her home for a month while making Three Sovereigns
for Sarah, a PBS movie about the Salem Witch Trials.

It was the television series Bewitched that brought the Hawthorne Hotel the most notoriety. In 1970, Elizabeth Montgomery, her real-lie husband and the show’s producer Bill Asher and the rest of the cast and crew stayed at the hotel for several weeks while filming episodes in and around Salem.

Just recently, two television shows were filmed in the hotel—the popular Canadian show Chris & John to the Rescue stayed at and filmed segments for their reality series "Halloween Superstar" at the hotel, and TLC’s What Not to Wear held the Reveal Party for fashion victim Leanne in the 2010 season opener.

And the Hawthorne Hotel has already got a lot going on in 2010. Renovations, including new carpeting (which you'll notice in the pictures of the Tavern and the lobby), TVs and more, are being done, and the hotel has that special "spit and polish" look of a grand dame celebrating a big year!

You can follow the Hawthorne Hotel online via blog, Twitter, and Facebook. Watch for specials and promotions celebrating this significant year.

Happy Anniversary, Hawthorne Hotel!!