The Queen City Hotel was once the cultural hub of the African American community in Columbus. Constructed in the 1880s, the building opened as a hotel in 1914 by blues guitarist Robert Walker and was later owned by Edward Bush. It was the only public lodging for blacks until the 1960s. In its heyday, notable guests included Sam Hairston, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, and Louis Armstrong. After being severely damaged by storms, the hotel was demolished in 2003.