Rainier Club facts for kids
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Rainier Club
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 Location in Seattle WA Downtown
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| Location | 810 4th Ave., Seattle, Washington |
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| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | Cutter & Malmgren |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival, Jacobethan Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001889 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 22, 1976 |
The Rainier Club is a special private club located in Seattle, Washington. Many people call it "Seattle's most important private club." Its main building, finished in 1904, is recognized as a historic place. The club started in 1888, even before Washington became a state. In 2008, the club had 1,300 members.
Contents
Club's Beginnings: How It Started
The idea for the Rainier Club first came up on February 23, 1888. Six important leaders from Seattle met and decided to create it. The club officially began on July 25, 1888.
Who Were the Founders?
Some of the first people who met were J. R. McDonald, who was in charge of a railroad, and John Leary, a real estate developer and former mayor of Seattle. Other key founders included Norman Kelly, R. C. Washburn, who edited a newspaper, and Bailey Gatzert, another former mayor. A. B. Stewart and James McNaught were also there. Later, lawyer Eugene Carr, Judge Thomas Burke, and William Allison Peters joined as founding members.
Why the Name "Rainier"?
The club is named after a British Admiral named Peter Rainier. The name might have been chosen because of a friendly competition between Seattle and Tacoma. People in Tacoma wanted the mountain to be called "Mount Tacoma," but Seattle preferred "Mount Rainier." In 1892, the club even sent a group to Washington, D.C. to support the "Rainier" name. The club's symbol was inspired by the Union Club in Victoria, British Columbia, which started in 1877.
Becoming an Official Club
When the Rainier Club first started in 1888, the laws in the Washington Territory did not allow private clubs. So, the club was first set up as a men's boarding house and restaurant. Later, on January 18, 1899, it officially became a private club under a new state law from 1895.
Club Buildings: Where They Met
The club's first home was inside a large 22-room house owned by James McNaught. This house was located where the Seattle Central Library is today. McNaught was moving away, so he was happy to rent out his house. This house also served as a temporary city hall after the Great Seattle Fire in 1889. This brought even more city leaders to the club.
Moving to New Locations
The club and McNaught did not agree on the rent, so the club moved. From February 1893, the club was in rooms at the new Seattle Theatre building. This is where the Arctic Building stands now.
The Current Clubhouse
The Rainier Club bought its current property in downtown Seattle in 1903. The main clubhouse building was designed by architect Kirtland Cutter from Spokane, Washington. It was finished and opened in 1904. Later, in 1929, Seattle architect Carl F. Gould added a new section to the south side. He also designed a new entrance in the Georgian style and added Art Deco designs inside.
Club Activities: Important Events and Guests
The Rainier Club has been a starting point for many important events and hosted famous people.
Exploring Alaska
In 1899, many club members began the Harriman Alaska expedition from the club. Famous people like E. H. Harriman, John Burroughs, John Muir, Edward S. Curtis, and Henry Gannett started their journey to places like Seal Island and the coast of Siberia from the club. They also celebrated their return there.
Protecting Nature
Gifford Pinchot visited the Rainier Club during a trip that led to the creation of the United States Forest Service and Mount Rainier National Park. About ten years later, Edward S. Curtis, a club member, went with Theodore Roosevelt when Roosevelt visited the new park. The Rainier Club has many special photos by Curtis from that trip.
Shaping Seattle's Future
Club members, including club president I. A. Nadeau and John C. Olmsted, helped plan the Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition (A–Y–P Exposition) in 1909. This event is said to have "put the City of Seattle on the map." One lasting result of the fair is the beautiful landscaping of the University of Washington campus, which was the fairground. The Olmsted firm also helped design Seattle's system of parks and boulevards.
Challenging Times: The 1930s
The Rainier Club faced difficulties during the Great Depression. After building a new section in 1929, the club lost members. It also became hard to find new members who could afford the fees. To attract new people, the joining fee was lowered from $500 to $200 in 1932. By October 1933, it was lowered again to $100. During this time, membership dropped from 851 to 615 in just three years.
Role in City Events: Modern Times
Fifty years after the A-Y-P Exposition, Rainier Club members played a big part in the Century 21 Exposition, Seattle's 1962 world's fair. Eddie Carlson, who was the President of Western International Hotels, was a main leader of the fair. Most of the planning meetings for the fair were held at the clubhouse.
In 1993, U.S. president Bill Clinton held two important meetings at the Rainier Club. These meetings were with leaders from Japan and China as part of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). These were the first APEC meetings held in the U.S.
Club Membership: Who Can Join?
When it first started, the Rainier Club was only for white men. However, over time, the club became more open.
Breaking Barriers
The first Japanese American member, Saburo Nishimuro, joined on November 25, 1966. The first African American member, important contractor Luther Carr, joined on July 25, 1978. The first woman member, Betty Binns Fletcher, joined on August 22, 1978. Betty Fletcher was a leading lawyer and the first female president of the Seattle-King County Bar Association.
Other Notable Members and Visitors
Other important members have included people from the Blethen family, who own The Seattle Times newspaper. Art collectors Dr. Richard Fuller, who started the Seattle Art Museum, and H. C. Henry, who started the Henry Art Gallery, were also members.
Many famous visitors have come to the clubhouse. These include John Philip Sousa, Buffalo Bill Cody, William Howard Taft, General Douglas MacArthur, Babe Ruth, and Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary. Also, members of early trade groups from Japan visited the club between 1893 and 1911.
See also
- List of American gentlemen's clubs
