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Peabody HotelKnown for its celebrated Peabody Ducks, the Peabody Hotel has become known for its Southern hospitality and Delta style. The 13-story hotel is Memphis' only historic hotel, and was originally built by Colonel Robert C. Brinkley in 1869, who named it in honor of his recently deceased friend, George Peabody. The original hotel had 75 rooms with private baths, a ballroom, saloon and lobby and cost $3-4 a day for a room and meals, extra for a fire or gas light. Today guest rooms at The Peabody Memphis number 464 and the hotel has expanded to include locations in Orlando (FL) and Little Rock (AK). In the late 1930s, a tradition began in Memphis that continues today at all of the Peabody locations. After a weekend hunting trip, the general manager (Frank Schutt) and his friends thought it would be amusing to leave some of their live duck decoys (which were legal at the time) in the beautiful Peabody fountain. Since then, the ducks have been synonymous with the Peabody Hotel brand and have made their home in the famed Peabody Duck Palace (on the Peabody Hotel roof). The Memphis Peabody Hotel also played a role in the musical history of Memphis. Blues musicians were known to frequent the establishment (perhaps because of its convenient location near legendary Beale Street), and blues musicians including Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes, and Tommy Johnson all made their first recordings in rooms at the Peabody in the late ‘20s and early ‘30s. For more information: |
