The Atlas Obscura Podcast Four Rooms at the Omni Parker House Hotel
Jun 26, 2025
In this engaging discussion, historian Susan Wilson, an expert on Boston's rich past, uncovers the intriguing histories tied to the Omni Parker House Hotel. Listeners discover connections between iconic figures like John Wilkes Booth and Charles Dickens. The podcast also reveals Ho Chi Minh's time as a budding baker, highlighting his dual life amidst social issues. With whimsical tales of Parker House rolls and their impact on dining culture, Wilson captures the hotel's role as a crossroads of history, politics, and culinary innovation.
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John Wilkes Booth's Ominous Practice
- John Wilkes Booth practiced pistol shooting unusually beside the Parker House before assassinating Lincoln.
- His dramatic, backwards shooting practice hinted at his preparation for violent acts soon after.
Dickens' First U.S. Christmas Carol Reading
- Charles Dickens stayed in the Parker House in 1867 practicing theatrical readings of A Christmas Carol.
- His public readings attracted thousands and helped reshape American Christmas traditions.
Boston's Christmas Revival Insight
- Boston’s Puritan past suppressed Christmas, associating it with rowdiness and crime.
- Dickens' A Christmas Carol helped inspire a renewed, kinder American Christmas tradition focusing on family and giving.
