Company History
American Hotel Register Company
Our Beginnings
Founded in 1865 as a publisher of hotel travel directories and railroad maps,
our company incorporated in 1896 under its current name as a manufacturer
of patented hotel registers.

The typical hotel in the early 1900s was a multi-story building located in a
downtown, close to a railroad station. Each hotel was independently owned,
and its floor plans, furnishings, and room layouts were entirely unique, with
one bathroom per floor! Transactions were in cash only, and records were
kept by hand.

By the 1950s, America’s postwar prosperity was changing the way people
traveled. Automobiles, interstate highways, and air travel led to the building
of hotels and motels at highway exits, intersections, and airports. In-room
bathrooms, televisions, telephones, and air conditioning were still uncommon,
and properties that boasted these luxuries were sure to advertise them.
Many new properties were built in U-shapes around swimming pools so that
guests could escape the heat and enjoy a cool, relaxing swim.

During this time, American Hotel Register Company shifted its emphasis from
advertising to printing and mail order, greatly expanding its product offerings.
The company specialized in hotel supplies: printed forms, key tags, key and
card racks, and registration pads.