{{short description|Hotel in Texas}} {{Context|date=November 2020}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox building | name = Gregg Hotel | image = Downtowner_Motor_Inn_Demolition.jpg | caption = Taken by Jimmy Ramsey | construction_start_date = 1928 | completion_date = 1930 <!-- | additions = 1936: Additional Rooms --> | pushpin_map = Texas | pushpin_map_alt = Location in Texas | map_caption = Location in Texas | building_type = Hotel | location = 215 E. Methvin St.<br />Longview, Texas<br />United States | coordinates = {{coord|32.493438|-94.729146|region:US-TX|display=inline}} | status = Demolished | demolished_date = 1995 | floor_count = 5 | number_of_rooms = 1929–1936: 64 1936–1978: 128 | elevator_count = 1 | architect = Edward F. Neild (1936 Annex) | former_names = {{ubl|*Hotel Gregg|*Hilton Hotel|*Hotel Longview|*Downtowner Motor Inn|*LeToureanu College Residence Hall}} | alternate_names = Downtowner Hotel }} '''Gregg Hotel''' is a former hotel in Longview, Texas, built in 1930 and demolished in 1995.

==1930–1936 Hotel Gregg== Brick laying on the new Hotel Gregg began in early November, 1929.<ref>''The Longview Daily News''. "Work on Hotel Being Rushed to Completion" November 20, 1929, Page 5</ref>

When the Hotel Gregg officially opened, the Longview Daily News called the event "one of the most auspicious occasions in the history of the city."<ref name="Longview Daily News 1930-02-23">''The Longview Daily News''. "1000 Attend Opening Hotel Gregg" February 23, 1930, Page 1</ref> Guest from all over East Texas including Shreveport, Louisiana attended.

In late spring of 1931, due to the oil boom, hotel occupancy was over 100%. The dining room was converted to guest quarters with temporary partitions between the beds to handle the number of guests.<ref>''The Daily News'' (Longview). "Main Dining Room Displaced by Bed Quarters at Gregg Hotel as Demand for Sleeping Space Here Increases". April 17, 1931, Page 4</ref>

On March 29, 1934, nearby Hotel Longview caught fire and burned to the ground with a loss of three lives. This left Longview with a shortage of hotel rooms which prompted a proposal to enlarge the Gregg Hotel.<ref name="The Daily News 1934-06-13">''The Daily News'' (Longview). "Facts About the Hotel Situation in Longview", June 13, 1934, Page 4</ref>

==1936–1947 Hilton Hotel== In 1935 Conrad Hilton purchased the Gregg Hotel. He started immediate plans to enlarge the hotel making the existing Gregg Hotel the annex to a much larger new hotel building.<ref>''The Daily News'' (Longview), "Longview Assured New, Modern Hotel and Four Lane Highway Into Gladewater", December 4, 1935, Page 1, 3</ref> Construction started in March, 1936 for the new addition.<ref>''The Daily News'' (Longview), "Plans Laid For Demo Meet Here", March 19, 1936, Page 4</ref>

On August 14, 1936, the expanded hotel was opened with construction ongoing. It was at this time the name of the Gregg Hotel was changed to Hilton Hotel.<ref>''The Daily News'' (Longview), "New Hilton Hotel Here to Open For First Guests this Week End", August 13, 1936, Page 1, 6</ref>

==1947–1964 Hotel Longview== In mid-1947 Tom Young and Associates purchased the building from Conrad Hilton and renamed the facility "Hotel Longview".<ref name="The Daily News 1947-06-09">''The Daily News'' (Longview), "Welcome News (An Editorial)", June 9, 1947, Page 1</ref>

In June, 1954, Earl Hollandsworth and Lee Travis bought the hotel. In addition to the Longview building they also owned the Carlton Hotel in Tyler and Hotel Marshall in Marshall.<ref>''The Longview News-Journal'', "'Perpetually New' Slogan at Hotel Longview", January 1, 1959, Page 70</ref>

==1964–1978 Downtowner Motor Inn== On May 14, 1964, the new Downtowner Motor Inn sign was erected. A new addition along the front of the hotel was constructed to add new meeting rooms and a location to house Jackson Travel Agency. The official opening date of the newly renovated Downtowner Motor Inn was June 1, 1964.<ref>''The Daily News'' (Longview). "Local Hotel Now Downtowner Inn". May 14, 1964, Pages 1 & 2</ref>

In 1974, the hotel building was given to LeTourneau College (now LeTourneau University) by Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hollandsworth. The college continued commercial operations of the hotel and dining room. Due to an increase in enrollment in the fall of 1977 and a lack of living space on campus, the college housed approximately 40 men on the third floor of the hotel. On May 15, 1978, permanent guests and staff of the Downtowner Motor Inn were notified the hotel would cease commercial operations on July 15, 1978. The college planned to have the hotel converted to a dormitory and ready to house 180 men in the fall of 1978.<ref>''The Daily News'' (Longview). "Downtowner to be LeTourneau Dorm". May 15, 1978, Page 1</ref>

==1978–1984 LeTourneau College Residence Hall== Beginning with the 1978 autumn semester at LeTourneau College (Now University), the former Downtowner Motor Inn building was converted completely to a dormitory and renamed LeTourneau College Residence Hall. It housed men who attended LeTourneau College. Shuttle buses were provided throughout the day to transport them between the downtown dorm and the campus located on South Mobberly Ave.

Due to new dormitories constructed on campus the Residence Hall was closed and put up for sale following the 1984 spring semester signalling the end of an era.

==1984–1995 Vacant and demolition== After graduation the men moved out and the hotel building was shuttered, except for one tenant, the Hilton Barbershop. The barbershop continued for another two years as the sole tenant in the vacant hotel building. It finally closed its doors on July 19, 1986.<ref>''The Longview News-Journal''. "Downtown Barbershop Closing". July 19, 1986, Page 1</ref>

The old Downtowner was demolished in 1995.

==List of owners and operators== thumb|right|alt=Free-standing brick walls bear commemorative plaques.|The site is now Heritage Plaza, a city park. * '''1930–1931''' Owner: Longview Hotel Company * '''1929–1931''' Operator: North Louisiana Hotel Company (dba Gregg Hotel) * '''1931–1935''' Owner: Gregg Hotel Company (dba Gregg Hotel)<ref>''Corsicana Daily Sun''. "Sale of Longview Hotel is Announced" March 21, 1931, Page 1</ref> * '''1935–1947''' Owner and operator: Conrad Hilton, Hilton Hotel Company (dba Gregg Hotel, Hilton Hotel)<ref>''The Daily News'' (Longview). "Longview Assured New, Modern Hotel" December 4, 1935, Page 1</ref> * '''1947–1954''' Owner: Tom Young and Associates (dba Hotel Longview)<ref name="The Daily News 1947-06-09" /> * '''1954–1974''' Owner: Earl Hollandsworth and Lee Travis (dba Hotel Longview, Downtowner Motor Inn) * '''1974–2000''' Owner: LeTourneau University (dba Downtowner Motor Inn, LeTourneau College Residence Hall) * '''2000–present''' Owner: City of Longview (dba Heritage Plaza)

== References == {{reflist}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book |author=Conrad N. Hilton |author-link=Conrad N. Hilton |year=1994 |orig-year=First published 1957 |title=Be My Guest |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O7BGK2BLtpgC |publisher=Simon and Schuster |pages=174, 207, 218 |isbn=978-0-671-76174-5}} * {{cite book |author=Van Craddock, Jr. |year=2001 |title=Historic Gregg County: An Illustrated History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dH87F7R8Nh0C&pg=PA30 |publisher=HPN Books |page=30 |isbn=978-1-893619-62-3}} * {{cite book |author=Van Craddock |year=2010 |title=Longview |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSE_TCA21PoC&pg=PA1929 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |pages= |isbn=978-1-4396-3977-1}}

Category:Hilton Hotels & Resorts hotels Category:Defunct hotels in Texas Category:Longview, Texas Category:Buildings and structures in Gregg County, Texas Category:LeTourneau University Category:1930 establishments in Texas Category:Hotels established in 1939 Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1939 Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 1995