In 1878, Thomas Dudley Wooten, one of the founders of the University of Texas, purchased the land on which Hotel Ella and Goodall's Kitchen now sits. Wooten’s son, Goodall, moved into the home on the property in 1900 with wife Ella, who oversaw its transformation into the Greek revival structure you see today.

The hotel’s namesake, Ella was known for her impeccable taste, calling upon Neiman Marcus to redecorate the entire home in 1925 for $10,000—roughly a million dollars today. For the Greek columns, Ella turned to the Vanderbilts for a recommendation, eventually choosing to use the same stone carver who constructed the famous Biltmore Mansion in Asheville.

Thanks to its rich history and ties to the university, Hotel Ella can be found on the National Register of Historic Places.

Art and style have been important components of Hotel Ella since the Goodall Wooten House, now home to the hotel, was constructed at the turn of the 20th century. Today, a diverse collection of Texas Modernist works grace the hotel grounds. The collection includes major works by celebrated Texas modernists Michael Frary, Charles Umlauf, Ralph White, Kelly Fearing who helped usher Texas out of it’s conservatism and into the national and international mainstream art conversation.