Society Hotel – Mariners Building – 1881
Originally, the building was only three stories tall. However, in 1891, 10 years after its initial construction, the structure was elevated and a new first floor was constructed to provide four full floors.
Business at the hotel eventually dwindled, and the building was rented to the Portland Hospital for one year. During its renovation into the current hotel, the original patient register was found, containing signatures of early Portland figures.
In the early 1900s, it was the California Hotel, primarily serving Japanese immigrants until the owners were sent to internment camps during WWII. Later, the first floor became a Chinese dance hall and meeting place for Chinese citizen groups.
In 2013, the building was completely renovated and became The Society Hotel. Having been left untouched since 1945 the building offered a treasure trove of artifacts. Old stoves, furniture, dishes, garments, roller skates, and WWI newspapers. All were found just as they’d been left. Many of these artifacts are displayed in the stairwell.
Today the Society Hotel offers travelers a cost effective and comfortable place to stay while preserving the historic nature of the building.
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Discussion Questions:
Why is it important to keep old buildings instead of tearing them down?
How were the customers of the original hotel different from those of the Multnomah Hotel?
Vocabulary: historic, traveler, neighborhood, lobby, restoration
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State Education Standards:
Social Studies 3.11: Describe how individuals, groups, events, and developments have shaped the communities and regions. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.17: Use a variety of historical sources (artifacts, photographs, buildings) to identify factual evidence. Historical Thinking
Social Studies 4.10: Analyze how people, cultures, and communities in Oregon have changed over time. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 5.9: Analyze the impact of trade, transportation, and economic activity on the development of communities. Historical Knowledge
Social Sciences 4.14: Explain the role of community institutions and how they meet the needs of people (e.g., Sailors’ Home as housing and services). Civics