Washington Hilton
Washington Hilton in 2010
Map
Interactive map of the Washington Hilton area
Former names Hilton Washington (1998–2010)
Alternative names Hinckley Hilton (Colloquial)
General information
Location 1919 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Opening March 25, 1965[1]
Operator Hilton Worldwide
Technical details
Floor count 12
Design and construction
Architect William B. Tabler Architects
Developer Uris Buildings Corporation
Other information
Number of rooms 1,070
Number of suites 47
Number of restaurants Four Oaks, McClellan's Sports Bar
Website
Official website
Function Hall in the hotel

The Washington Hilton[2][3] is a Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C. It is located at 1919 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., roughly at the boundaries of the Kalorama Heights, Dupont Circle, and Adams Morgan neighborhoods. Since its opening in 1965, the hotel has hosted numerous major large events including the annual dinners of the White House Correspondents' Association. The hotel was the site of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981, as well as a shooting outside of the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2026.

History

The Washington Hilton, located on the former site of the Oak Lawn estate, was designed by architect William B. Tabler[4] and developed by Uris Buildings Corporation.[5] A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 25, 1962[6] and the hotel officially opened three years later, on March 25, 1965.[1] The hotel structure features a distinctive double-arched design. It long sported the largest pillarless hotel ballroom in the city.

Opened less than two years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the ballroom and conference area was built with security for events featuring the United States president in mind, with the cooperation of the Secret Service. That includes a secure corridor for the president and an entrance on T Street that was originally labeled "Presidential Entrance."[7]

Numerous large events have been regularly hosted at the Hilton Washington, including the annual dinners of the White House Correspondents' Association and the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association, Washington Mardi Gras, as well as the National Prayer Breakfast.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the hotel hosted a number of big musical acts for concerts in their large ballroom, including The Doors and Jimi Hendrix.[8][9] In 1972 it was home to the first International Conference on Computer Communicationsm, which demonstrated new ARPANET technology.

The hotel was the site of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981. The attempt occurred at the hotel's T Street NW exit. As a result, the hotel is sometimes colloquially called the Hinckley Hilton by locals.[10][11][12]

The hotel was renamed the Hilton Washington in 1998.[13] It was purchased in June 2007 by an investment firm involving former professional basketball star Magic Johnson and Lowe Enterprises. From 2009 to 2010 it underwent a $150 million renovation. When that was completed, the hotel returned to its original name.[14]

On April 25, 2026, President Donald Trump was evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner after gunshots were heard in the ballroom.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "Washington Hilton" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 2, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  2. ^ See, e.g., Big Ballroom at the Washington Hilton, Albuquerque Journal online edition, February 3, 2007; Hillary Profita, Behind The Scenes Of History: Covering The President On March 30, 1981, CBS News, March 30, 2006; The Spa at the Washington Hilton, Washingtonpost.com[dead link]
  3. ^ See generally Google Search: "The Washington Hilton"
  4. ^ Dunlap, David W. "William B. Tabler Sr., Architect of Hilton Hotels, Dies at 89." New York Times. February 10, 2004.
  5. ^ Kihss, Peter. "Harold Uris, Skyscraper Developer and Philanthropist, Is Dead At 76." New York Times. March 29, 1982.
  6. ^ Congress, United States (March 1965). "Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress".
  7. ^ Sherwood, Tom (April 1, 1981). "At the Washington Hilton, a Secure, Plush Entrance for Presidents Only". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  8. ^ "Ladies and Gentlement, From Los Angeles, California ... The Doors!". Ghosts of DC. January 13, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  9. ^ "Hendrix Plays the Washington Hilton (1968)". Ghosts of DC. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  10. ^ Harry Jaffe, Prepping for the protests, Salon.com, April 15, 2000
  11. ^ "Barry Svrluga, National Pastime (2006), excerpted at".
  12. ^ "Denis Dutton, The White House Press Correspondents' Dinner, Sunday Star Times (New Zealand), May 7, 2006". Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved August 15, 2007.
  13. ^ "Hotels Capitalize on Capital's Convention Center".
  14. ^ "Washington Hilton restoration completed – Washington Business Journal". Archived from the original on June 7, 2010.
  15. ^ "Live Updates: Trump Rushed Out of Dinner Amid Reports of Shots Fired". The New York Times.
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38°54′59″N 77°02′43″W / 38.9163°N 77.0452°W / 38.9163; -77.0452