The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page B3

THE B3KENTUCKY FAMOUS GUESTS Seven presidents have slept at the Seelbach William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman John Kennedy Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter Two others, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush held functions there. Other famous and infamous guests include gangster Al Capone author F. Scott Fitzgerald, and entertainers Billy Joel Charlton Heston Carol Channing and Mikhail Baryshnikov THE SEELBACH HILTON Key dates in history 1903 German immigrants and brothers Louis and Otto Seelbach begin constructing hotel. 1905 Hotel opens; construction cost $950,000.

1925 Inspired by his visits to the Seelbach, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald in his novel Great uses a hotel called the Muhlbach as a backdrop for a wedding. 1926 Hotel sold to Chicago investor Abraham Liebling. 1934 Rathskeller bar reopens as Prohibition ends. 1950 Zack Jacoby, who lived in The Seelbach since it opened, moves out and into a nursing home.

1975 After changing hands several times, Seelbach closes and is later sold at auction. 1978 Partners Gil Whittenberg and actor Roger Davis buy hotel for $800,000 and spend $20 million to restore it. 1982 Seelbach reopens. 1983 Hotel named one of top 40 hotels in world by Preferred Hotels Association. 1990 Medallion Hotels of New York buys hotel.

1997 Group now called MeriStar Hospitality Corp. buys hotel and puts Hilton brand on it. 1998 The movie about tobacco-industry whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand, films scenes in the Seelbach. A SEELBACH TIMELINE Courier-Journal file photo The Presidential Suite at the Seelbach looked like this in 1948. Courier-Journal file photo After staying at the Seelbach, author F.

Scott Fitzgerald used a hotel called the Muhlbach as a wedding backdrop in Great Courier-Journal file photo The Beaux Arts-style hotel, under construction in 1904, began as the dream of two Bavarian brothers, Otto and Louis Seelbach, in 1869 when 17-year-old Louis came to Louisville to learn the hotel business. think of any place else rather he said yesterday. Johnson recalled coming downtown on a bus as a 10-year-old with his parents in 1954. walked by the hotel and saw a short, stocky gentleman with a cap on the doorman. I thought how neat it would be to have that job.

Lo and behold, in 1982, I had that job. a great place to work. And I still love Designed in the Beaux Arts style by architects W.J. Dodd and Frank Andrews, the 321-room, 10-story Seelbach opened in 1905. It was built and furnished with bronze from France, imported marble, Irish linens, Oriental rugs and hardwood from the West Indies, according to The Encyclopedia of Louisville.

The hotel offered first roof garden, and large murals of Kentucky pioneer life and turn-of-the-century antiques adorn the lobby. In 1975, the Seelbach shut down amid what Johnson called the rush to the suburbs and the proliferation of suburban malls and motels. just quit coming and staying he said. But in 1978, Louisville builder Gil Whittenberg and actor Roger Davis bought the abandoned hotel for $800,000 and reopened it in 1982 after spending $20million to restore it. The Seelbach now is owned by MeriStar Hospitality a real estate investment trust based in Arlington, Va.

The hotel has about 275 employees and opened a new salon and spa in December. Michael Fatta, who became the general manager last September, said he sees a bright future. was ecstatic to come to this hotel, with all its charm and said. is a legendary SEELBACH Hotel is marking100years Continued from B1 Larry Johnson, the hotel historian, is shown in the second-floor card room where Al Capone once gambled. Helen Welder, public area attendant, polished the hotel name in a stairwell.

Photos by David R. Lutman, Special to The Courier-Journal GET INVOLVED The Seelbach Hilton plans a yearlong series of events to mark the 100th anniversary: Free public tours will be held at 10 a.m. every Saturday starting this week. People are advised to make reservations by calling 585-3200, although walk-ins are allowed. The 90-minute tours are conducted by hotel historian Larry Johnson, the lobby concierge.

The hotel is asking the public to lend Seelbach-related memorabilia and memories for an exhibit in the lobby that will begin in about two months. Photos, postcards, menus, receipts, advertising and promotional material are welcome. For more information, call Johnson at 585-9288. People also can send memories of the hotel by e-mail to seelbach- or by mail to Seelbach Hilton, 500 S. Fourth Louisville 40202.

Learn more online at www.seelbachhilton.com. Voters in three precincts in Western Ohio County voted against legalizing alcoholic beverage sales, but a Caldwell County vineyard will be allowed to sell wine. In Ohio Countyon Tuesday, three Beaver Dam precincts voted 653 to 373 against legalized sales, a turnout of 45 percent. everybody had turned out, it would have said David Lanham, a member of the Coalition for Economic Development in Ohio County, which petitioned for the vote. guess 50 percent of the people he said.

think a missed opportunity for Beaver Dam. disappointed, but life goes The Rev. Glenn Armstrong, pastor of Beaver Dam Baptist Church and chairman of Citizens for aSafe and Sober Society, praised his group. The organization conducted telephone and mail campaigns in the days before the election. think our organization and the hard work of our people was a major Armstrong said.

After the final tally was announced, about two dozen opponents of the measure held hands in a prayer circle in the second-floor hallway outside the office of County Clerk LesJohnson. can now get on with the the Rev. Tom Shelton, director of the Ohio County Baptist Association in Hartford, said after the prayer circle broke up. has all been a big distraction to us, but it was worth Outside Princetonin Caldwell County, Dr. David Hall said he hopes tourism will increase because ofthe vote to allow wine sales at his vineyard.

tourism to flourish, it takes a variety of attractions, and I think an orchard, a vineyard and winery can be one of the Hall said. Voters in the Eddy Creek precinct voted 278-174 to allow wine sales and tastingsat the Black Oak Vineyard and Winery, which is owned and operated by Hall and his wife, Dr. Jenny Franke. About 55 percent of registered voters turned out. Hall said it will be at least two years before be able to open the tasting room and begin wine sales.

W. Ky. precinct OKs wine sales; others stay dry Associated Press Evansville HopkinsvilleHopkinsvilleHopkinsville 60 68 80 Owensboro MadisonvilleMadisonvilleMadisonville Henderson By Steve Durbin, The Courier-Journal 60 CaldwellCaldwellCaldwell CountyCountyCounty OhioOhioOhio CountyCountyCounty 24 Audubon Parkway PENSACOLA, Fla. A former soldier who completed his enlistment five years ago and now has a seriously ill 16-month-old son has won an exemption from being recalled to active duty for service in Iraq. Terry Fitzpatrick, 26, of Milton, and originally from Eastern Kentucky, said an Army representative called Tuesday and told him and his wife, Susan, that his Individual Ready Reserve call-up had been canceled.

really Terry Fitzpatrick said. know if it was the publicity or Aspokeswoman for Gov. Jeb Bush said the Army Reserve also informed military adviser, Glenn Sutphin, of the decision. Sutphin had contacted Army officials at request after seeing news reports about situation. The son, Will, suffers from multiple birth defects, including a malformed heart and a gap between his esophagus and stomach.

He cannot yet walk, lags intellectually, and needs special feedings and daily medication. The Fitzpatricks have adjusted their work schedules to care for Will. Susan Fitzpatrick had said she would have had to quit her job as a restaurant manager to care for Will if her husband had gone back into the Army. Terry Fitzpatrick, a carpenter, completed a three-year enlistment as an Army mechanic five years ago. He was ordered to report for duty Nov.

18 but obtained a delay until Jan. 30 while his appeal was being considered. He was among more than 4,400 members of the Individual Ready Reserve called back to duty even though they have completed their enlistments and are not required to attend reserve drills and meetings. All military personnel have an eight-year commitment including active duty and the ready reserve. Susan Fitzpatrick, 25, also is a former soldier and could face a recall herself.

am still worried, but because he have to not so worried about she said. E. Kentucky native spared Army call-up to care for sick son By Bill Kaczor Associated Press.