Rainier #2: George Moeck House

713 B Street West

George Moeck House on September 5, 2005

This house is known by most people as the 1888 House, and it even has the words "1888 House" on it, and an "1888 House" sign in front of it, but officially it is the Moeck House. It was built in 1888, naturally, as the home of George F. Moeck. It was not only a home for Moeck and his wife to raise their six children, but was also a boarding house for sailors. The seven-foot-high stone basement was added under the house around 1909-1911. Moeck once owned most of West Rainier, the area known as Kentucky Flats. Moeck was a founding member of the Rainier Masonic Lodge and was postmaster of the Rainier post office from 1892 to 1897. George Moeck died December 21, 1917, and his wife Margaret died July 10, 1927.

The entire Moeck estate was sold under foreclosure proceedings on January 9, 1928. The house ended up being subdivided into a four-plex in the 1930s. The dormers were added to the roof, interior walls were added, and staircases were sealed off. In 1977, Jim Rouse began restoring the house to its original 14-room floor plan, with restaurants, shops, and an art gallery occupying the various rooms. His plans included a steak restaurant in the basement, and a French restaurant on the main floor. The first store opened in September 1977, and the German-themed Rose Manor restaurant opened in October. The Moeck House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 1978. In the years since it has been home to a variety of restaurants and other businesses.

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