PlacesPages: Rainier #16: Rainier City Hall

106 B Street West

Rainier City Hall on September 5, 2005.

The need for a new City Hall for Rainier was raised at the city council meeting on November 17, 1919. A $25,000 bond issue for construction of the new building was approved by voters on December 31, 1919. On January 20, 1920, Goodrich & Goodrich of Portland submitted a plan for a one-story mission-style building to a special meeting of the city council. Members of the American Legion Post 31 campaigned for a larger two-story building that would include an American Legion hall on the second floor, which could also be used for other public gatherings. Plans for the 48’x50’ two-story building were presented at the city council meeting on February 16, 1920. The first floor included a Council Room, Library Room, Kitchen, Office, Water Board Office, Treasurer and Recorder Office, Mayor’s Office, Kitchen, Vault, Restrooms and Lobby. The second floor included an Auditorium, Stage, Check Room, Ticket Office, Restrooms and Lobby. Additional bond issues were approved for the larger building for a total cost of $50,000. The new City Hall was dedicated on April 13, 1921.

Rainier City Hall when new. Note the cannons in the front and the fire bell tower in the back.
(Michael Clark collection, used with permission)

The American Legion post obtained two small 3.2-inch 820-pound cannons from the Ordinance Department for Rainier in 1920. (Two larger 6-inch 3,000-pound cannons were also obtained for placement at a then-new 12-acre park along Fox Creek near the school.) The cannons were placed outside City Hall in August 1921 on either side of the main entrance. They were moved to the grounds of the new Rainier Union High School in 1926.

In July and August 1921, carpenter Bord Hegley built a 60-foot fire bell tower behind the southeast corner of City Hall to alert the fire department volunteers in the event of a fire before radio and telephones became widespread, and also to hang the fire hose for drying. The tower cost $498. In October 1932 a police and fire alarm system was installed through the telephone office. The fire bell was sold to the city of Warrenton for $75, but the tower was not demolished until 1941.

Rainier City Hall on July 13, 2008.

Today, Rainier's City Hall includes the Rainier Police Department and the Rainier City Library. The Library had been confined to its original home in the northeast corner of the main floor since the building was built, but an elevator has been installed to make the top floor ADA accessible, and the Library was moved upstairs to a larger renovated space.

Rainier City Hall on February 24, 2011.