Historical Markers

April 25. 2011 11:28AM

NH Historical Markers - Mount Washington Hotel & Bretton Woods Monetary Conference

Mount Washington Hotel and Bretton Woods Monetary Conference - Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Route 302

Carroll, NH

Marker Number: 122

Name and date established: Carroll 1978

Description: The Mount Washington Hotel, the large building to the east, is the culminating achievement of the creators of the Bretton Woods area. Conceived by Mr. Joseph Stickney, a wealthy railroad magnate, it was built in 1902 in a grand manner to attract the fashionable and the rich. A magnificent structure in a spectacular setting, the Mount Washington Hotel has been host to presidents, royalty, and scores of celebrities. In its heyday, 57 trains a day brought carloads of people, great and humble, to this resort rivaling Newport, Saratoga, and Bar Harbor. The Mount Washington Hotel was listed on the National Register in 1978 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

In 1944 the United States government chose the Mount Washington Hotel as the site for a gathering of representatives from 44 countries. This was to be the famous Bretton Woods Monetary Conference. The conference established the World Bank, set the gold standard at $35 an ounce, and chose the American dollar as the backbone of international exchange. The meeting provided the world with a badly needed post-war currency stability.

Location: Located on the north side of Route 302 at the entrance to the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods.