The Palmer House Hilton is a famous and historic hotel in downtown

Downtown

Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....

 Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

.
There have been three Palmer House Hotels at the corner of State and Monroe Streets in Chicago.

The first (known as "The Palmer") was built as a wedding present from Potter Palmer

Potter Palmer

Potter Palmer was an American businessman who was responsible for much of the development of State Street in Chicago.-Retailing career:...

 to his bride Bertha Honoré

Bertha Palmer

Bertha Palmer was an American businesswoman, socialite, and philanthropist.- Biography :Born Bertha Matilde Honoré in Louisville, Kentucky, her father was businessman Henry Hamilton Honoré...

. It opened on September 26, 1871, but burned down just thirteen days later October 9, 1871 in the Great Chicago Fire

Great Chicago Fire

The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...

. Palmer immediately set to work rebuilding, and with a $1.7 million signature loan (believed to be the largest individual loan ever secured at the time) constructed one of the fanciest hotels in post-fire Chicago.

Designed by architect John M. Van Osdel

John M. Van Osdel

John Mills Van Osdel was an American architect who is considered the first Chicago architect. He is considered a peer of the most prominent architects in the history of Chicago...

, the second Palmer House Hotel was seven stories.