Our Rich History

The Gold Rush was a pivotal era for the city of Seattle. Rapid economic and population growth turned the waterfront port from a small town into a true metropolis. The entrepreneurs, industrialists and artists who returned to Seattle from the Klondike desired a venue where they could meet, mingle and share their exciting tales of fortune and adventure.

The original Arctic Club was established in 1908. The organization was a social community for Seattle businessmen with Alaska ties, former Alaska residents, adventurers, miners and wealthy eccentrics who returned to Seattle carrying with them the riches of the Arctic. A few years later, the members of the Arctic Club commissioned one of the city's most prominent architects, A. Warren Gould to design the Arctic Building in 1916.

The building's design paved new roads during the era of its construction. Standing 128 feet high, the building is one of the earliest to use terra cotta panels over a steel-reinforced concrete frame. Unlike other historic buildings utilizing this structure, Gould used submarine blue and orange-brown panels instead of the typical off-white for a unique and elegant effect.

Since the Arctic Building's completion in 1918 its grand ballroom, known as the Dome Room throughout Seattle, has been a venue for events of all kinds, such as wedding receptions, banquets and business meetings. The original design, meticulously restored, features an awe inspiring leaded-glass domed ceiling with luminescent effects reminiscent of the Northern Lights.

A few facts:

The Arctic Club Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated Seattle landmark.
www.nps.gov/nr/
The public areas of the hotel offer an elegant blend of early 1900s architecture, remarkable artifacts inspired by the Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition and original art.
The foyer and stairways are lined with Alaskan marble.
Twenty-seven molded walrus heads wrap the third floor exterior. The original walrus tusks were composed of ivory but were replaced in the 1940s for pedestrian safety and earthquake security reasons.
The Arctic features 120 guestrooms and suites. Eight rooms have rooftop terraces overlooking the Seattle skyline.
The hotel has five meeting and event spaces that total 5,800 square feet.
On-site private dining, catering and event services are available for any event.