HISTORY LIVES AT THE ROOSEVELT HOTEL

The Roosevelt Hotel has been a landmark on the Manhattan skyline since it opened on September 22, 1924. Through historic elections, prohibition, war times and famous performers, The Roosevelt has a New York City story to tell.  Named in honor of the beloved 26th President of the United States, President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, the architects of the hotel designed the style and architecture in honor of him. 

Synonymous with this rich history, Guy Lombardo and his Orchestra performed their first show at the Roosevelt Grill on October 3, 1929 and continued to play there for the next 30 years. It was at the Grill that Lombardo first broadcast what would become a famous New Year’s Eve tradition – the singing of “Auld Lang Syne”. And from his election headquarters at The Roosevelt Hotel in 1948, Governor Thomas Dewey erroneously announced that he had defeated Harry Truman. The Chicago Tribune was so sure of the victory that it printed this false statement in the following morning paper’s headline.