Willard Hotel and the origin-of-'lobbyist' legend

The Willard InterContinental at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW is popularly linked to the claim that the term 'lobbyist' arose from political advocates waiting in its lobby to influence presidents and members of Congress. The hotel's 19th-century role as a gathering place for politicians and advocates is well documented, though historians debate the precise linguistic origin of 'lobbyist' and the extent to which the Willard is solely responsible for the term. The Willard remains a historic hotel frequently referenced in accounts of Washington political legend and history.