Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac
Upon his arrival in America, La Mothe adopted his title after the town of Cadillac, Gironde in southwestern France. The city of Detroit became the world center of automobile production in the 20th century. William H. Murphy and Henry M. Leland founded the Cadillac auto company and paid homage to him by using his name for their company and his armorial bearings as its logo in 1902. Various places bear his name in America, in particular Cadillac Mountain in Maine and the town of Cadillac, Michigan.
Cadillac House
However, by the late 1950’s, the resort trade in Lexington was in decline, as the automobile changed people's vacation and travel habits. Renting rooms at the Cadillac was discontinued in 1954 as the owners concentrated on the bar and restaurant. This business remained popular, and the Cadillac House was remodeled in the 1970s. In 2001, the Cadillac House was sold to Martin and Julia O’Brien, who continued to operate it until they sold it in 2016. The new owners restored the building to its original appearance, and reopened both the hotel and restaurant in 2018.