Conrad Hilton | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hilton in 1962 | |
| Member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from the 2nd district | |
| In office 1912–1916 | |
| Preceded by | Legislature established |
| Succeeded by | Quianu Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Conrad Nicholson Hilton December 25, 1887 San Antonio, Socorro County, New Mexico Territory, U.S. |
| Died | January 3, 1979 (aged 91) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Calvary Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Mary Adelaide Barron
(m. 1925; div. 1934)Mary Frances Kelly (m. 1976) |
| Children | |
| Relatives | Hilton family |
| Occupation | Hotelier |
| Known for | Hilton Hotels & Resorts |
Conrad Nicholson Hilton (December 25, 1887 – January 3, 1979) was an American hotel tycoon and politician who founded the Hilton Hotels chain. From 1912 to 1916, Hilton was a Republican representative in the first New Mexico Legislature, but became disillusioned with the "inside deals" of politics. In 1919, he purchased his first hotel, the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas, for US$40,000 (equivalent to $702,956 in 2023) and subsequently capitalized on the oil boom. The rooms were rented out in eight-hour shifts. He continued to buy and sell hotels, and eventually established the world's first international hotel chain. When he died in 1979, he left the bulk of his estate to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.