Celebrate 100 Years at The Emily Morgan Hotel

100 Years (1926–2026)

Join The Emily Morgan Hotel as we celebrate a century of history, hospitality, and timeless care.

Get Your Limited-Edition 100th Anniversary Collectibles

Rooted in a tradition that began in 1891, Fiesta medals have evolved from ceremonial coins into wearable symbols of San Antonio’s history and identity. Our 100th Anniversary medal and buttons continue that legacy, honoring The Emily Morgan Hotel and the spirit of the Yellow Rose of Texas.

Available 24/7 during Fiesta at our front desk (medals $15, buttons $5) open to both guests and the public.

This is The Tale of Emily

100 Years of San Antonio History

1836

The Battle of the Alamo cements the site next door as one of the most important places in Texas history, shaping the context and long-term significance of the Emily Morgan’s location.

1836

1926

The Medical Arts Building (today, the Emily Morgan Hotel) celebrates its grand opening on April 12, 1926. The wedge-shaped footprint at what was called “San Antonio’s Flat-Iron Corner” made it a visual landmark from the start.

1926

1926-1976

The building serves as the Medical Arts Building, housing doctors’ offices and medical uses in downtown San Antonio.

The building used its rooftop for attention-grabbing promotions, including “Straw Hat Day,” when free straw boaters were dropped to crowds below. Express-News also notes other rooftop spectacles, including Boy Scouts sending semaphore messages and singers entertaining people on the street with a megaphone.

1926-1976

1980-1989

The Emily Morgan Hotel hosted San Antonio’s annual New Year’s Eve ball drop in the 1980s, with fireworks over the Alamo and crowds on Alamo Plaza.

1980-1989

1984

After redevelopment, the building opens to the public as The Emily Morgan Hotel. Historic Hotels describes this as the result of an extensive renovation that preserved the exterior character while transforming the interior into a hotel.

1984

2012

The hotel undergoes a multi-million-dollar renovation and joins the DoubleTree by Hilton family; Travel Weekly reported the renovation at $4.5 million.

2012

2021

Historic Hotels of America recognition helped reinforce the property’s national reputation as one of the country’s notable haunted historic hotels.

2021