Scimitar Building

The Scimitar Building was commissioned by Napoleon Hill (1830–1909) in 1902 and designed by local architects August A. Chigazola (1869-1911) and William J. Hanker (1876–1958).^[1][3] Hill, known as Memphis' original "merchant prince",^[4] was one of the wealthiest people in Memphis, and a part owner of the Evening Scimitar.^[1] Hill lived across Madison Avenue in a mansion which stood on the site of the present Sterick Building.^[1][5] Hill's initials can still be seen etched into the façade of the building.^[2]

The Scimitar Building was home to the Memphis newspaper Evening Scimitar (later News-Scimitar and then Press-Scimitar) from 1902 to 1929.^[1] The newspaper took up three floors of the building.^[1] The raised basement was home to the stereotype and composing rooms of the newspaper, as well as the press machinery.^[1] People on the street could view the press machinery in operation through the building's giant windows.^[1] In 1926, the newspaper outgrew the building and moved to an address on Union Avenue.^[1]

The building was the headquarters for Memphis Light, Gas and Water from 1937 to 1970.^[1] Later, the building was an office building known as the Winchester Building.^[6] The Winchester Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.^[2] The property went on the market in 2012 and was sold in 2014 for $1.26 million.^[6]

In 2016 the building re-opened as the Hotel Napoleon with 56 guest rooms, a business center, and fitness center. The local architecture firm, UrbanARCH, was responsible for the re-design and conversion. The project garnered both local and regional design awards recognition.^[7] Named after original owner Napoleon Hill, the hotel is a member of Ascend Hotels, the boutique brand of parent company Choice Hotels.^[2]

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Shelby County, Tennessee