DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, the story of the Hotel Cortez in El Paso — it starts, like a lot of good Texas stories, with a woman who knew exactly what she wanted. Alzina DeGroff bought the Vendome Hotel at this site in 1899.
Bought it outright. And then, as if to leave no doubt about who was running things, she renamed it the Hotel Orndorff — after her first husband. That's the kind of move that tells you everything you need to know about Alzina DeGroff.
She wasn't just keeping the lights on. She had plans. Big ones.
She brought in Henry C. Trost — noted architect, that's what the marker calls him, and El Paso would back that up — and Trost designed her a brand new building. When it opened in 1926, it wasn't just a hotel.
It was a statement. Brick, Spanish eclectic style, cast-relief detailing, terra cotta, and up along the facade — busts of conquistadors staring out over El Paso like they owned the place, which, in a manner of speaking, they sort of did. Then in 1935, the name changed one more time.
The Hotel Orndorff became the Hotel Cortez, and that's the name that stuck to history like the terra cotta stuck to those walls. Now, you want to talk about guests — in 1963, a man by the name of John F. Kennedy stayed here.
President John F. Kennedy. Think about that for a moment.
Think about what 1963 means, and what it meant to stand in that lobby. The Hotel Cortez closed in 1970. Sat there, that magnificent brick building with its conquistador faces, until 1984, when it was converted into offices — and the first and tenth floors were historically restored, so some of that story is still right there in the walls if you know where to look.
The marker was recorded in 2002. Alzina DeGroff bought a hotel in 1899 and set something in motion that outlasted just about everything. That's El Paso for you.
What the marker says
Hotel Cortez Alzina DeGroff bought the Vendome Hotel at this site in 1899, renaming it hotel Orndorff after her first husband. Noted architect Henry C. Trost designed a new building for her, which opened in 1926. Renamed Hotel Cortez in 1935, this brick structure reflects a Spanish eclectic style, featuring prominent cast-relief, terra cotta detailing with busts of conquistadors. Guests included President John F. Kennedy, who stayed here in 1963. The hotel closed in 1970. It was converted into offices in 1984, and the first and 10th floors were historically restored. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002