On August 9, 1929, the Cascadian Hotel opened in Wenatchee, Washington, the "Apple Capital of the World." It was (and still is) the tallest building in town. The opening ceremony–featuring a human spider scaling the facade–celebrated the coming to town of a technologically innovative and luxurious hotel that, for its 42-year existence, prided itself on quality service. The Cascadian had very strong ties to the community, apple themes ran throughout the building, and for years it was the go-to meeting place in Wenatchee. The hotel also served as the starting point for the hospitality careers of several men and women who rose to executive leadership positions in the international Western (later Westin) Hotels chain.