The Rainier Club, Seattle, Washington
historic place
The Rainier Club, located in King County, Seattle, Washington, is recognized as a historic place. The club was formally incorporated on July 25, 1888, by six Seattle civic leaders. Initially, it operated as a men's boarding house and restaurant because territorial law did not recognize private clubs at the time. It officially became a private club in 1899. The current clubhouse building, a notable example of Jacobean-revival style, was completed in 1904. It was designed by Spokane architect Kirtland K. Cutter. In 1929, Seattle architect Carl F. Gould added a new section to the building. The Rainier Club was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 22, 1976. The City of Seattle's Historic Preservation Office designated it a historic landmark in 1986. The club admitted its first female and Black members in 1978. This site matters historically as a long-standing institution reflecting Seattle's development and evolving social landscape.