The Lewis Kayton House, also known as the Mansion on Forsyth Park, is a historic five-star hotel at 700 Drayton Street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is significant as it was once the home of Lewis Kayton, an early pioneer to Savannah in the 19th century. The hotel occupies the Drayton block of Forsyth Park and is part of the Savannah Historic District. The hotel is now owned by hotel developer Richard C. Kessler, chairman and CEO of The Kessler Enterprise, Inc.[2]
| Mansion on Forsyth Park | |
|---|---|
 Mansion on Forsyth Park, at 700 Drayton Street | |
 | |
| Former names | Lewis Kayton House |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Location | 700 Drayton Street, Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 32°4′1″N 81°5′42″W / 32.06694°N 81.09500°W |
| Groundbreaking | 1888 |
| Opening | 1889 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Floor area | 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Alfred Eichberg |
| Developer | Richard C. Kessler Hyman Witcover |
| Awards and prizes | Five star[1] |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 126 |
| Number of restaurants | 1 |
| Parking | Valet parking |
History
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The Lewis Kayton House was built, of brick and terracotta, between 1888 and 1889, to designs by architects Alfred Eichberg and Hyman Witcover for Lewis Kayton, a businessman from Baltimore, Maryland. The cost was $45,000 (equivalent to $1,526,000 in 2023).[3][4]
The house changed hands several times. It became the Fox & Weeks funeral home in 1953, which was in business for over fifty years.[5][4]
Today, the Lewis Kayton House, also known as Mansion on Forsyth Park, is a 126-room Romanesque Revival-style hotel which covers 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2). The former Kayton mansion was converted into a lounge and restaurant that includes a cooking school. The three-story hotel was built onto the mansion with the same exterior style. There is an art gallery and outdoor patio with a pool. The hotel is owned and managed by The Kessler Enterprise, Inc.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Savannah: Five new things to do around city". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 30 Jan 2005. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
- ^ a b "Art-intensive luxury hotel makes debut in Savannah". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 17 Apr 2005. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
- ^ Kelley, David E. (2000). Building Savannah. Arcadia. p. 93. ISBN 9780738505732. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
- ^ a b Dick, Susan E.; Johnson, Mandi D. (2001). Savannah, 1733 to 2000 Photographs from the Collection of the Georgia Historical Society. Arcadia. p. 103. ISBN 9780738506883. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
- ^ "Fox & Weeks funeral Directors". foxandweeks.com. Savannah, Georgia. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
External links
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