The History Of The Evergreen State

42- The Curious Life of Robert Moran


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Robert Moran arrived in Seattle in 1875, when he was only 18 years old and with only a few cents in his pocket. 
His fortune and reputation had grown by 1900, and he was the president of a major shipbuilding enterprise. 
He was twice elected mayor of Seattle, and he was credited with aiding the city's rebuilding and modernization following the terrible fire that struck the city in 1889 (Covered in episode 1 and to be revisited in more depth in July). 
The battleship Nebraska was launched at his shipyard in 1904, marking the pinnacle of his professional life. On top of all of that, he portrayed himself as a "nervous mess," fatigued from overwork and "ticketed for Lake View Cemetery" at the time. 
It was after selling the company that he relocated to Orcas Island, where he purchased more than 5,000 acres and began building an opulent estate dubbed Rosario. The highlight of the estate was a 54-room home that he had designed himself, according to the press. 
Later, he donated the majority of his land to the state, which created Moran State Park as a result. In 1938, he sold the rest of his property and moved into a tiny house on the island of Orcas, having been widowed and with his children grown.
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A special thank you goes out to Al Hirsch for providing the music for the podcast, check him out on YouTube.
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The History Of The Evergreen StateBy Jon C

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