Built in 1911, the Taft Hotel, on College Street in New Haven, opened its doors to the public on New Year’s Day, 1912. The elegant hotel was right near the Shubert Theater and many Broadway celebrities stayed there over the years, including Rogers and Hammerstein, who wrote the tune Oklahoma in their rooms at the Taft. Former President William Howard Taft, for whom the Hotel was named, lived there for eight years while he was teaching at Yale Law School. Before the Taft Hotel was built, other hotels and taverns had stood on the site, including one in which George Washington stayed in 1775. The Taft’s immediate predecessor was the New Haven House, designed by Henry Austin, which was built in 1858 and was razed in 1910. The Hotel closed in 1973 and was boarded while it was converted into apartments. Now known as the Taft Apartments, the building still has its historic tap room on the ground floor, restored and reopened as Richter’s Cafe in 1983. The Hotel’s grand ballroom is now a restaurant called Downtown at the Taft.
The Taft is the setting for a pivotal scene in the classic film “All About Eve.”
I have a coin from the Hotel Taft. One side is the building with the name and the other side is a symbol with “membership emblem of the don’t worry club goodluck” Anyone have any information or value? Thanks.
i have the same coin
swastika no date
I found a old envelope from the Taft Hotel, with a letter written on hotel stationary. This letter was sent to the recieptian on Feb 22, 1938. J.O.Voit listed on there as General manager.
I have a ward robe that is stamped inside Honor W H Taft. Could anyone give me an idea on the history of the word robe?
My Uncle Mac McAvoy was head bellman at the hotel for many years, and my mother, Nellie Hibson was the hostess in the dining room. She met many, many stars who performed at Schubert’s while she was there, which really impressed me as a child.
Was Pres. Taft corpulent when he taught
law at Yale?
I have a fork engraved Taft Hotel
. Found at a yard sail.
I have a set of taft hotel demi tass cups. Markings GDA Limoges Hotel Taft New Haven CT. They were in my grandmother’s hutch. Unfortunately I have only found 7 so far
I have an original match box from the Taft Hotel. Anyone know the value?
While a student at the Culinary Institute of America, I lived on the 3rd floor of the Hotel Taft from August, 1969, to June, 1970. Many fond memories of the hotel, The Tap Room, the Roger Sherman Spa, the Sizzleboard, and Chapel Square Pizza.
I was looking through all my old keys in my key collection, and I had found a key to room 309 to this hotel. Pretty neat. it has Hotel Taft engraved on one side of the key with new haven conn. below it and on the other side it says 309.
My first liberty as a sailor in 1944 from Submarine Base in New London CT took me to New Haven. The USO in New Haven directed me to the Taft Hotel for a free lunch at the Taft Hotel Dining room. What a wonderful, albeit, somewhat intimidating experience.
My great grandfather was hotel manager in 1919. His name was Harry A Moss. I would love more information about him or his wife, Katherine. I am her namesake.
Am looking for someone who may have worked at the Taft Hotel on November 13, 1957 for research I am doing for a memoir
have to sell 1 box of matchbook 50 in original box
450 rooms
with bath & radio every room
will sell to best offer
call 386 308 1558
Angela–I noticed you had a relative who worked at the Taft. Did he work during 1957 by any chance? If so I would love to talk to him or someone who he might have shared stories with.
Thank you!
Amy
My grandfather was the architect, unfortunately he passed away before I was born in 1960.
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I am looking for any old photos of the barber shop that was in the lobby of the Taft hotel.
My husband did the demolition on the taft. Still have a lot of pieces of hitory. Including blankets, candy,boxes that had supply for time in a fallout shelter just to name a few
Brings back such memories. Nothing was more fun than stopping at the Taft and then taking in a show at the Schubert Theatre. Such taste and elegance. Exciting. I am now 67 yrs.old and live in Maine, but lived in New Haven and area for 33 years. When I was a child, my grandmother’s employer had their company Christmas/Holiday party each year in the Taft Hotel ballroom , way up at the top. Fascinating to think of this.
3 Generations or so back on my mother’s side, an aunt worked there and ever since my family has made something called Taft Cake that was supposedly from there. No record of it anywhere but in my family. I am at least the 3rd generation to make it. It has always been a family special cake. Unfortunately I think it will go with me. Any ideas of its origin?
I use a metal detector out in the woods at long abandoned, forgotten cellar holes. Today, in Mansfield Ct, I found a large tablespoon marked HOTEL TAFT. For those of us that like to research what we find, it’s rare to be able to tie a relic to a historic place. Glad to find this blog!
I have what maybe a bronze paper weight. It is the shape of a cross. It is about 2 1/2″ tall by 2″ wide. On one side the word HOTEL is horizontal, while the word TAFT is vertical utilizing the T in HOTEL as the first letter. On the back is the insignia for New Haven with
NEW
HAVEN
CONN
I have had it for years. Not sure who in my family got it.
J Kennedy> Out of curiosity I typed “Taft Cake” into my browser and came up with Taft Cake at a site called yesterdish.com. There are several versions of the Taft Cake with some information on origin, none that claim to come from New Haven’s famed hotel however. It may be fun to compare your family recipe to those.
Angela, you wrote your grandmother was a hostess at the Taft hotel in the restaurant. YOu mentioned the name Nellie. My grandmother and her twin sister worked at the Taft in the restaurant..my grandmothers twin sisters nickname was Nellie. Im wondering if we share the same geneaology. My grandmother was there for 20 years. My mother told me my grandmothers twin sister had a plaque in her name that honored her in the restaurant for many years of service. My grandmother and her twin emigrated from Ireland.
…an old footlocker served up many memories amongst them a sugar “cellar???” engraved HOTEL TAFT International Silver Co SILVER SOLDERED SH0589 that was on my grandparent’s kitchen table forever…with a levered hinged top that us kids would open and close a million times just to see the action and prompting continual warnings to leave it alone before you break it…ignoring them mostly until we would be chased away to await sunday pasta…my grandfather blessing the table and us with water flicked from a palm frond and the small tumblers of wine with quarters hidden beneath, yours if you drank your share which varied as to your age…a gentler time perhaps…
My husband was adopted,but his bio mother Ruth P, Adams-Stone once worked there. She was originally from Maine. She had a twin sister who lived in the town. Arline Frances Adams Palozzi. If anyone knew Ruth please get in touch @ Jeep050@aol.com.
I STAYED AT THE TAFT FOR TWO YEARS AS A STUDENT AT THE CIA.
FROM 1967 TO 1970..
STIPC@AOL
Does anyone have any information about the very early FM Radio station WBIB which was located on the top floor of the Taft with it’s antenna on the roof?? Didn’t run very long. It was bought later by WELI but never operated as I recall. I have the cast aluminum WBIB microphone upright which my family has used as a wheel chock since about 1955 🙂
Regards, Terry King
…In The Woods In Vermont
The one who dies with the most Parts LOSES! WHAT DO YOU NEED??
I just scanned a picture of my father. He was a doorman at the taft in the late 30’s early 40’s. The picture is of him opening the door of a big car, and a lady in fur coat getting out. Across the street is a movie marque at the Loew Poli College, with a double feature. NOW PLAYING, The Grapes of Wrath, and Young as You Feel. Raymond Massey is at the Sherman , with Abe Lincoln. Time machine.
My Grandmother who we called Noni , was of some management of Housekeeping, played piano also, at the Taft, many stories of actors and politicians etc, IRENE , was her name ,
Does anyone have any knowledge or pictures of the bar at the Taft Hotel. My hand about done fir today , but will offer a bit that I know on my grand aunt and uncle when I am done composing.