nhabited by only a few thousand settlers in the 1880s, Seattle was a rough and tumble frontier town lined with mud streets and wood-framed buildings. Three ambitious city-builders: Thomas Burke, William A. Peters and John Leary endeavored to create an exclusive meeting place where they could enjoy the company of like-minded individuals, play cards and sip brandy at the end of the day’s business and political struggles.

On July 25th, 1888, aspiring Club members convened to formally incorporate The Rainier Club, named in honor of British admiral Peter Rainier, as a “boarding, lodging house, and restaurant,” in spite of the fact that the laws of Washington did not recognize private social clubs at that time.

The Rainier Club was first housed in a 22-room Victorian mansion owned by James McNaught. The “Dudes of The Rainier Club,” as the press dubbed the original members, rented the house for $100 per month.

The Great Seattle Fire ravaged the city on June 6th, 1889 and the McNaught Mansion was one of the few downtown buildings spared by the inferno.  The Rainier Club served as a communications center while citizens fought the flames, later becoming a hub for reconstruction efforts. "Downtown" Seattle was rebuilt as the now preserved Pioneer Square.

In 1893 the Club relocated to the Seattle Theatre, the present site of the Arctic Club. When a new state law was passed recognizing private clubs in 1899, The Rainier Club reincorporated for the “establishment of a social club, to promote friendly interaction among its members.”

After experiencing growing pains and conflicts with the landlord at the Seattle Theatre, Club leaders retained Spokane-based architects Kirtland K. Cutter and Karl G. Malmgren to build a Jacobean-style building modeled on England’s Aston Hall at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Marion Street. No expense was spared on “modern” luxuries, including telephones in every room.

Construction was completed by September 30, 1904 for “a trifle over $100,000” and the members then moved into the current home of The Rainier Club. 

The Club survived the Depression and both World Wars thanks, in large part, to the leadership of its first true manager, Eddie Carlson, who served from 1937 to 1941 and later went on to lead Westin Hotels and United Airlines. In 1962, The Rainier Club became an integral part of the Seattle World’s Fair.  Many plans were first drawn, deals made, and key participants entertained and recruited in the Clubhouse as Carlson was a leading force behind the event that put Seattle on the world map.

At the beginning, the bylaws of the Club were exclusionary in that only men were admitted as members. There was also a tacit exclusion of foreign-born US citizens, which was overcome on November 25th, 1966, when the Trustees approved Saburo Nishimuro as the Club’s first Japanese-American member. Women were officially allowed membership on June 14th, 1977 and Judge Betty Fletcher became the first female member on August 22nd of that year. Luther Carr was nominated for membership on June 27th, 1977 and became the first African-American member.

On December 28th, 1986, The Rainier Club was officially recognized as a historical landmark by the City of Seattle.  Starting out as a boarding house for ambitious bachelors, the Club has become a bridge between Seattle’s past and future. It has hosted some of the most important meetings in the region’s history, including the planning of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, the reform of local government through the creation of Metro and the current City of Seattle and King County Charters, the financing of public works such as Forward Thrust, countless campaigns for school levies and bond issues, and fundraising efforts for United Way and other non-profit organizations.

Today, The Rainier Club is proud to serve an engaging and diverse membership, which reflects the population of our modern city, while continuing to stand as a monument of Seattle's history. The Club still serves in its original capacity offering civic leaders, entrepreneurs, and dignitaries the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company, recreate, and dine within the sanctuary of a magnificent Clubhouse.