Gayoso Hotel- Memphis, TN - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

"Gayoso Hotel - Main Street

The Gayoso was built by Robertson Topp, a wealthy planter. He was involved in the development of South Memphis, an area of houses, commercial buildings, and a hotel designed to grace the young city with high architectural style. He commissioned James Dakin to design the structure, which was constructed in 1842. The hotel was named for Governor Manuel Luis Gayoso de Lemos, Spanish governor of the Natchez district.

The Gayoso House became a Memphis landmark, an oasis of luxury frequented by visitors of the city. With its own waterworks, gasworks, bakeries, wine cellar, and sewer system, the hotel offered amenities far beyond those available to the rest of Memphis. The indoor plumbing included marble tubs and silver faucets as well as flush toilets. It's Greek Revival portico was easily recognizable from the river. In the late 1850s, Topp continued his efforts to bring architectural distinction to Memphis, and hired the Cincinnati firm of Isaiah Rogers to build an addition that doubled the Gayoso's original 150 rooms. The addition featured wrought iron balconies overlooking the Mississippi. During the Civil War, the Gayoso served as the Union Headquarters during the Union's occupation of Memphis." (visit link)

Book: Tennessee Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 161,169, 221 Year Originally Published: 1939

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