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We’ve all likely driven past abandoned buildings and perhaps have wondered about their past. Who lived there? Was it a business? Why was it left forgotten? Not all abandoned buildings in Pennsylvania have merely been forgotten over time. Some have been restored to their former glory. This restored hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for example, has again leaped to life.
Tucked on the corner of Broad Street and Fairmount Avenue, the Lorraine Hotel has quite the tale to tell, and it all begins in the late 1890s when it was built as a luxury apartment.
Many of Philadelphia’s wealthiest residents lived in the apartment building, which at the time was widely considered one of the most luxurious in the city.
That, however, was just the beginning of the Lorraine Hotel’s long and storied history. In 1948, ownership changed hands when Father Divine, the founder of the International Peace Missions Movement, purchased the building.
Originally from Rockville, Maryland, Father Divine was originally known as George Baker.
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With the purchase of the building came a name change to the Divine Lorraine Hotel. Unlike many other apartments and hotels, the Divine Lorraine welcomed everyone regardless of race or religion.
At the time Father Divine owned the building, it had both permanent residents and guests.
Father Divine passed away in 1965, and for the next half a century, the Divine Lorraine would continue the mission of the International Peace Missions Movement before the hotel permanently shuttered in 1999.
Today, the Divine Lorraine Hotel is again a hotel, now known as the Mint House at the Divine Lorraine Hotel, which operates with the motto “an apartment hotel that feels like home.”
Have you been to the Divine Lorraine Hotel, a restored hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? What did you think? Did you enjoy penthouse dining at its on-site restaurant? Let us know in the comments!
While you’re in the city, treat yourself to a classic. You won’t find a better Italian meal than at Ralph’s Italian Restaurant, a popular restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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