Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco
historic place
The Fairmont Hotel, a historic place in San Francisco County, stands atop Nob Hill. Construction began around 1903, commissioned by sisters Theresa Fair Oelrichs and Virginia Fair Vanderbilt, and designed by architects James and Merritt Reid. The hotel was nearly complete in 1906 when the devastating San Francisco earthquake struck. Although the structure survived, its interior was heavily damaged by fire. California's first licensed female architect, Julia Morgan, oversaw the extensive restoration. Exactly one year after the quake, on April 18, 1907, the Fairmont Hotel officially opened. It was the first major business to reopen in the city following the disaster. In 1945, the hotel hosted the drafting of the United Nations Charter. Later, in 1961, Tony Bennett first performed "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in its Venetian Room. The Fairmont Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 17, 2002. This site represents a significant landmark in San Francisco's recovery and international history.