The Lancaster Hotel in Houston is an Art Deco masterpiece built during the roaring twenties, an era of flapper girls, radio and decorative arts. At its time, it served famous business travelers, theater artists, rodeo performers, wrestlers and boxers. Read more about the luxurious historical landmark in the vibrant Theater District of Houston at houston1.one.
Discovered by an Italian immigrant
In 1879, Italian immigrants Michele DeGeorge and Ursula Ciulla were married in Sicily, where the DeGeorge family worked in a mill. The couple had six children.
In 1882, the family immigrated to the United States, where Michele got a job at Edward Douglas White’s plantation near New Orleans. He picked sugar cane for 50 cents a day. Shortly after, he moved to the Texas city of Orange, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become a foreman at a lumber mill.
Having saved $700, Michele transported his family to Houston in 1884. The enterprising Italian invested his savings in real estate along early transportation lines – initially paths used by mules and later trolley routes.
The population of Houston was growing steadily, so there was a need for rental houses and boarding houses. On the ground floor of their home, the DeGeorge family opened a grocery store and a saloon, a kind of Wild West bar that offered gambling and performances by singers and dancers in addition to alcoholic beverages. Using a draft horse, Michele delivered the saloon’s beer (the coldest in the city) to the Houston Ice & Brewing Co./Magnolia Brewery.
In 1899, Michele constructed a large Victorian-style home for his wife and children. In 1913, he built the DeGeorge Hotel near the new Union Passenger Train Depot. Widowed in 1926, DeGeorge began to seek solace in a new business. At the age of 76, he opened the Auditorium Hotel, a 200-room masterpiece that catered to opera singers, cowboys, businessmen, actors, and other talents. A year later, the entrepreneur passed away.
In 1982, the hotel underwent a large-scale reconstruction. Subsequently, the name of the renovated English-style establishment was changed to the Lancaster Hotel. In 2009, it came under the ownership of Michele DeGeorge’s great-granddaughter – Michaelene “Miki” Lusk Norton. In 2013, the hotel was reconstructed again, updating the interior design to reflect a classic American and transitional style, combining two distinct aesthetics that balance between strict classicism and sleek minimalism. The Lancaster Hotel is one of the places on the list of historical landmarks in Texas and historic hotels in America.
An exquisite event venue
The walls of the hotel are adorned with posters featuring photographs of performances by the symphony orchestra, grand opera, ballet, theater troupes, and more. Historical photographs and old maps are on the mezzanine. The Lancaster Hotel is suitable not only for accommodation but also for cocktail receptions, dates, rehearsals, birthdays, weddings, work conferences, etc.
The Lancaster Hotel staff happily serves guests afternoon tea. Traditional service is represented by a three-course menu with sandwiches with tea, freshly baked scones with Devonshire cream, homemade jam and lemon curd. In addition, experienced servers serve confectionery.
The hotel’s Cultivated F+B restaurant is recognized as one of the coziest fine dining establishments in Houston. It combines the spirit of classic luxury with modern touches. There is also a bar within the hotel. The meeting space at the Lancaster Hotel can accommodate up to 12 people at a time.
