The History of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel

New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel originally opened in 1893 but later relocated to its now-famous Park Avenue address in 1931. (The original hotel was actually two separate hotels, the Waldorf and the Astoria. The two buildings were located at what is now the site of the Empire State Building and were connected by a 300-foot-long promenade, which became known as "Peacock Alley" because wealthy guests would walk across it to show off their outfits.) President Hoover gave an opening address when the hotel opened its doors in 1931 because it was seen as a symbol of recovery during the dark years of the Great Depression. Securing an entire New York City block for the development was quite the feat, and the owners only managed it by taking over the New York Central Railroad’s railyard after its steam engines were converted to use electricity and relocated underground. The site included Track 61, which for a time was hidden under the building and, according to legend, once ferried VIP guests directly into the hotel. The Waldorf-Astoria pioneered several amenities that are now standard in the hospitality industry, including room service, in-room telephones, and celebrity chefs, the most notable of which was Oscar Tschirky, who led the hotel’s culinary operations for over 50 years and is widely credited with creating a variety of iconic dishes, including the Waldorf salad. The hotel became extremely popular among the elite, but also played a role in diplomatic relations. When the United Nations chose New York City as its headquarters in 1946, there were concerns about the racist segregation policies that were prominent in the U.S. at the time. The Waldorf-Astoria agreed to host all delegates regardless of their race and became the preferred hotel of the UN. When it first opened, the Waldorf-Astoria had 450 rooms. That number was expanded to 1,400 as its popularity grew, but after a recent renovation, the hotel has returned to its roots of offering fewer but larger rooms. Other historic details, including murals and frescoes, have also been restored in recent years. The Waldorf-Astoria continues to operate today and is considered a New York City icon.