Robert Moran (January 26, 1857 – March 27, 1943)[1] was aSeattleshipbuilder who served as thecity's mayor from 1888 to 1890. Today he is primarily remembered for Moran Brothers Co. shipbuilders, his work as mayor to rebuild after theGreat Seattle Fire, and his large estate onOrcas Island, which became a resort and laterMoran State Park.
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A native ofNew York City, Moran was 18 when, in 1875, he arrived penniless in Seattle, a frontier outpost in thePacific Northwest, which had been settled in November 1851, and only incorporated between 1865 and 1869. After years of working onsteamboats[2] he earned enough money to send for his family and, by 1882, he and his brothers started a marine repair business atYesler's wharf. TheMoran Brothers Company prospered during theKlondike Gold Rush when, among other projects, they built a fleet of twelve 176-foot (54 m)paddlewheelriverboats (hull Nos. 9–20), which were successfully delivered to theYukon River.
In 1888, 31-year-old Robert Moran was elected theRepublican mayor of Seattle.[3] In those early years, the town's mayors were elected in July for a one-year term. Near the end of his service, on June 6, 1889, theGreat Seattle Fire destroyed most of the central business district. Moran's leadership in coordinating the recovery activities won him a second term in the following month's election. Through the period of his mayoralty, he was instrumental in the successful rebuilding of businesses, including Moran Bros., which were destroyed in the fire. His political connections were also very helpful in securing government contracts for his shipbuilding company.[4] Among his administration's rebuilding efforts was the public overhaul ofSeattle's water system and the establishment of asavings and loan association, which later becameWashington Mutual.[5][6]
Following his mayoral service, Moran devoted all his efforts to his shipbuilding business and, in 1904, climaxed his career with his shipyard's launch of theUSSNebraska,Washington state's only battleship. He was told in 1905 that he had one year to live, and retreated toOrcas Island inPuget Sound'sSan Juans, where he built theMoran Mansion—surrounded at that time by 7,800 acres (32 km2) of land—that is now the centerpiece of Rosario Resort. He sold the shipbuilding company for an undisclosed price between US$2.5 and 3.5 million in 1906.[7]
Moran spent the remainder of his life in retirement on Orcas Island. In 1916, he had a 132-foot (40 m) yacht built called theSanwan, though it seems that ship saw little use.[8] Influenced by chance encounters with conservationistJohn Muir, he donated 2,700 acres (1,100 ha) of Rosario to the state of Washington for preservation, which becameMoran State Park in 1921.[9][10] Following the death of his wife in 1932, he put the estate up for sale, however when he did finally sell it years later, it was at a fraction of its cost.[11] From there he moved into a smaller home on Orcas. He died in 1943 and was buried in the Moran family plot inLake View Cemetery in Seattle.
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| Preceded by | Mayor of Seattle 1888–1889 | Succeeded by |
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