The Brown Hotel celebrates 100 years in Louisville with Roaring Twenties-themed gala

Taylor Swift slept here. So did Prince, Elizabeth Taylor, The Rolling Stones, Muhammad Ali, a queen, a duke, and at least four presidents of The United States.

"When our shuttle driver picks up guests at the airport, they immediately start asking about the history of The Brown Hotel and when and where they order a 'Hot Brown,'" Marc Salmon, Human Resources director of the iconic hotel, told the Courier Journal. "I don't think airport shuttle drivers for newer hotels get asked these kinds of questions."

While new hotels can be state-of-the-art and lovely, nothing compares to the grandeur and history of Louisville's second oldest auberge, The Brown Hotel. This month, the Grand Dame located at the corner of Broadway and Fourth Street, joins a select group of century-old institutions, including Louisville's Seelbach Hotel, that have set global standards for hospitality and luxury.

"There is a tremendous 'wow factor' when guests walk into the lobby," Salmon said. "The original English Renaissance architecture, the grand two-story lobby, the marble floors, the 100-year-old crystal chandeliers, the enormous vases and antiques all combined with the famous people who have stayed here and our attention to exceptional service make this a very special place to stay."

The Brown Hotel is one of Louisville's most distinctive landmarks

During its century in service, The Brown Hotel has gathered up several industry distinctions including AAA Four Diamond hotel and member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts and Historic Hotels of America, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best list, Conde Nast Traveler’s “#1 Hotel in the South,” and Southern Living’s “Best Hotel in Kentucky.”

We're certain those accolades would make the Louisville businessman who built the 16-story hotel quite proud.

J. Graham Brown opened his hotel in downtown Louisville at the corner of Fourth and Broadway on Oct. 25, 1923. The hotel quickly became the city's business and social center where patrons might rub elbows with guests such as Queen Maria of Romania, entertainer Al Jolson, and opera singer Lily Pons. Actor Victor Mature, who grew up in Louisville, had a brief career as an elevator operator at the hotel before earning fame in Hollywood.

The Brown Hotel and the surrounding area, which soon included a luxury theater, church, and medical and professional buildings, became a bustling hub of activity known as "The Magic Corner."

Inside The Brown Hotel, business deals were made around the tables of the now-closed English Grill restaurant or standing up with a cocktail inside the iconic Lobby Bar. In the evening, the hotel's Bluegrass Room is where performers first made a name for themselves including George Gobel, Gene Krupa, Clyde McCoy, Dan Rowan, and Dick Martin.

Of course, Kentucky Derby weekend raised the fun factor to a whole different level at the hotel and still does to this day.

"You'd be amazed who you'll find hanging out at The Brown Hotel bar on Derby weekend," Salmon said.

Over the past 100 years, the hotel has had the pleasure of hosting countless prominent guests from the worlds of sports, politics, and film, including Presidents Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama (before he was president out on the campaign trail).

What celebrities have stayed at the Brown Hotel?

Other notable patrons have included Walt Disney, Robert Young, Joan Crawford, Sam Sneed, Bing Crosby, Cameron Crowe, Dixie Carter, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, The Police, Metallica, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and Jerry Seinfeld, to name a few.

"I was escorting Jerry Seinfeld out a private door to take him over to the Louisville Palace where he was performing when he asked why we weren't walking out the hotel's front door," remembers Solman. "I told him I thought it would be too busy and didn't want him to have to deal with the crowd but he said in his very Jerry Seinfeld way, 'Well, those people buy DVDs don't they?' This was a few years ago, back when people watched DVDs and yes, we left through the front door."

Prince was another performer at the Louisville Palace who stayed at The Brown Hotel.

After wrapping up his concert, Prince came back to the hotel and played the hotel piano until the early hours of the morning.

"People were wandering into the Bluegrass Room to see where the music was coming from," said Solman. "And there was Prince seated at the piano. I am not sure he ever went to bed."

Another famous guest got his first taste of The Brown as a teenager. Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, danced in the hotel's ballroom during his Central High School prom.

As an adult, "The Greatest" returned many times to his hometown and often booked a room at The Brown Hotel. Today, the finest suite of the hotel's 294 guest rooms is "The Muhammad Ali Suite," which includes signed memorabilia and numerous photos of the late boxer.

More recently, Perry, Bloom, and their young daughter Daisy have been guests at the hotel and enjoyed the Easter Brunch buffet.

"Daisy really enjoyed the Easter Bunny who was wandering around the tables," Solman said. "Orlando had stayed here when the film 'Elizabethtown' was produced in Kentucky. In fact, the entire cast and crew stayed at The Brown because this is where Cameron Crowe wrote out his outline for the film. He had flown into Louisville to visit his dad and hitched a ride in our shuttle with the Southwest Airlines flight crew over to the hotel. If you've seen the film, there are quite a few similarities."

Scenes for "Elizabethtown" and more recently "Queen of Ring," starring Walton Goggins, have been filmed in the historic hotel.

Louisville's iconic cuisine, the Hot Brown

Besides its A-list clientele and silver-screen cameos, the Brown Hotel is the birthplace of the famed Hot Brown.

"The signature of the hotel has always been food and beverage," Solman said. "It's the quality of food on the plate and the fact that we serve something famous. The Hot Brown gets us a tremendous amount of notoriety."

Created during the Roaring '20s, the Hot Brown was first served at The Brown Hotel to satisfy famished guests who had spent the night dancing in the Crystal Ballroom or Bluegrass Room. There was also a cold brown sandwich option but the hot brown was by far the more popular. It's basically an open-faced sandwich made with thin slices of roasted turkey and tomato, sometimes with ham and/or bacon all topped with a cheesy mornay sauce.

A special celebration to honor The Brown Hotel's 100th birthday

Mini versions of the iconic Hot Brown will be served as a hors d'oeuvre during a special anniversary celebration this month. Having played a starring role in the life of Louisville for 100 years, the award-winning Brown Hotel will host a Roaring Twenties-themed gala on Wednesday, Oct. 25, to recognize a century of exceptional hospitality and service.

The public is invited to this ticketed event and everyone attending is encouraged to dress in Roaring '20s or 1950s attire. The celebratory evening will include dining, dancing, prizes, and more in the hotel’s opulent crystal ballroom.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to reach and celebrate such a momentous milestone in our hotel’s history,” said Brad Walker, Brown Hotel general manager. “The loyalty of our numerous customers in the city and across the globe over the past century is invaluable to us, and we look forward to celebrating that together with a night to remember right here where it all started.”

Tickets are $100 per person for the gala and may be purchased by emailing info@brownhotel.com. In addition, guests will have the option to stay the night for a special room rate of $99 plus tax. To book the anniversary overnight stay, visit brownhotel.com and use the promo code “PKG100.”

The hotel plans to unveil additional commemorative anniversary events throughout the holiday season and next spring in conjunction with the 150th Kentucky Derby.

"For 100 years, this corner of Broadway is where the magic happens," Salmon said. "I don't think Louisville would be quite the same without J. Graham Brown and his famous hotel. We certainly wouldn't have the famous sandwich."

Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

The Brown Hotel Roaring Twenties Gala

WHAT: The award-winning Brown Hotel will host a Roaring Twenties-themed gala with cocktails, dinner, dancing, prizes, and special room rates for the night.

WHERE:  335 W. Broadway

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 6-10 p.m.

COST: $100 per person

MORE INFORMATION: brownhotel.com

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: The Brown Hotel in Louisville celebrates 100 years with October gala