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Robert Moran began a machine shop and shipyard near Henry Yesler's Lumber Mill and Wharf in 1882; after the Seattle Fire of 1889 destroyed these properties, Moran built a larger shipyard in 1889; this yard would construct some large vessels, including a U.S. Navy battleship, the 435-foot U.S.S. Nebraska, launched on 07/04/1904 at a cost of $4.5 million. A wealthy and influential man, Moran built his huge retirement house, Rosario, on a 7,800-acre parcel of land on Orcas Island, near the island village of Rosario. Faced with mounting debts in 1938, Moran was forced to sell the house and 1,939 acres to a California businessman for the fire-sale price of $50,000. He retained some land on Orcas and occupied a much smaller residence at his death in 1943. In later years, Rosario, as the house was called, became transformed into the Rosario Inn, a facility containing 116 guest rooms. It now sits nestled on a 30-acre site overlooking Puget Sound. An auction for the resort and marina occurred on 09/30/2008.

The Inn's Music Room still contains Robert Moran's 1913 Aeolian Pipe Organ and 1900 Steinway Grand Piano both of which are still played for guests. In 2008, the mansion contained over 25,000-square-feet of space; the marina had 34 slips with 28 offshore moorings; and the resort property covered 73.8 acres with 1,600 feet of water frontage. A new redevelopment plan also accompanied the resort at auction on 09/30/2008.

As the Rosario Resort and Marina, the Moran House spaces had been coverted to include a conference center, restaurants, lodging, a museum, spa, retail spaces, and recreational facilities.

PCAD id: 11992