Night Light

Thanks to Maintenance Engineer Bobby Matheson for all his effort in keeping the Moran Mansion and Rosario Resort grounds all lit up! Still powered by Robert Moran's original hydro electric plant, the mansion had to be an amazing site for those arriving to Orcas Island by boat over a century ago.




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Employee Appreciation Slumber Party

Rosario Resort employees recently gathered for an end of the season Employee Appreciation Slumber Party. No one believed this was really going to be a pajama party, so General Manager Christopher Peacock and family had to lead the way by arriving early and setting the example...


By the way, this is not the first time lingerie has been photographed in the mansion lobby or appeared on this blog (see October 20, 2008 "Employee Closing Party" entry).

The evening began with a game that involved toilet paper, which thoroughly confused our housekeepers Frances and Tomasa...


Even more confused were David and Barbara Evans...


The Hansen family also arrived in their finest evening wear (Orcas Island style)....


The highlight of the evening was the nine hole miniature golf course set-up throughout the Moran Mansion. The first hole started in the attic and the ninth hole ended in the lower level indoor
pool. Everyone gathers to watch Marina dockhand Cara Peacock tee off on the 4th whole, a straight shot par 3 down the grand staircase...


Marina staffer Vickie Motter appears to be talking the ball to the hole on the Mansion's third floor. The ball never seemed to stop rolling on the third floor, which we attributed to the ghost of Alice Rheem messing with us...


The marina staff celebrates finishing the 9th hole in the empty indoor pool...


Chefs Steven and Lindsay Silar provided a fabulous meal...


Next came a relay race which highlighted Resident Manager Jolene Versailles' tennis skills...


... and Maintenance Engineer David Hickman's Hula Hoop skills...


This would not be a party without a bit of dancing, thanks to Maintenance staffers Deena Stitt and Bobby Matheson...



We did say this was a slumber party, so everyone retired to the resort guest rooms, with Steven and Lindsay Silar providing breakfast the following morning.

Front Desk Host/Museum Docent Barbara Evans wrote:

"The experience of the Ultimate Mansion Miniature Golf Game was a trip - certainly experiencing all the nuances of the mansion. Were Mr. Moran to have seen us enjoying all the nooks and crannys would put a smile on his face. How creative in the use of space and a perfect culmination of a delightful and productive season."

Thank you to everyone for a great season!



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Safe Harbor

The San Juan Islands had two days of high winds over this Labor Day Weekend, but our Rosario Marina staff did a great job in bringing all the boats in safely. This photo from last night is definitely the calm after the storm.



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Workplace Obstruction

If you have been to Rosario Resort on Orcas Island, you know that numerous deer make themselves at home on our grounds. This buck is definitely slowing our groundskeeper Brieanna Bitzer down a bit, since her job on this day is to mow the lawn the deer is laying on!



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Rainbow's End

This evening a rainbow appeared to end at the Rosario Resort Marina on Orcas Island!


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Last Day of August

Here are two stunning displays of color on the historic lamp posts at Rosario Resort. The first features the summer colors of the flower baskets being overwhelmed by the quickly changing fall colors of the trees (too quickly!) The second is on the neighboring lamp where a Stellar's Jay was sitting, complimenting the beautiful blue and purple hues of the flower baskets below.



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Patina Design

One of our favorite wedding designers at Rosario Resort is Leslie Ginnes of Patina Floral Design here on Orcas Island. She provided a cool lime theme at yesterday's wedding at Rosario... perfect for a beautiful summer evening!





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Orcas Moon

Another beautiful scene at Rosario Resort - the "Orcas Moon."

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Oh Deer

The deer are plentiful around Rosario Resort on Orcas Island. It is a magical place for the young at heart!

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The World Comes to the San Juans

The World came to the San Juan Islands yesterday. It only took us a few minutes to circumnavigate the World, but it is big! Rarely does a ship this size stop in the islands, although many go by on their way to Alaska from Seattle. It is a private condo ship, with each luxury cabin (suite!) being privately owned (sweet!).





Once we left this World, we returned to our world.... a Washington State Ferry passed by!



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Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th! One of the great things about watching the fireworks on Orcas Island is the amazing reflections created in the surrounding water.
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Moran Centennial House Tour

The Robert Moran built homes open to the public for last Sunday's "Moran Centennial House Tour," included Moran's White Beach House, which was built by Moran after he sold Rosario on Orcas Island in 1938...




... and the recently restored Moran Bungalow, one of several Rosario area homes built by Moran for family and staff.




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Centennial Celebration

In celebration of the Moran Family moving into the Moran Mansion at Rosario on June 21, 1909, over 100 islanders where at Rosario's Centennial Celebration yesterday. The celebration culminated the “Moran Centennial House Tour,” a fundraiser for the Orcas Island Historical Society and Museum. The event featured four Robert Moran built homes, including Robert Moran’s White Beach home, built after Moran sold Rosario in 1938. Deer Harbor Charters transported tour guests from Rosario’s dock to the Moran White Beach home.

Robert Moran's Great-Granddaughter Becky Burns (center) paid tribute to Robert Moran's legacy, and welcomed Rosario's new owners, Craig, Jerry and Jan Barto (right) to the mansion and its next 100 years. General Manager Christopher Peacock (left) reported that over $4000 was raised by the event for the Orcas Island Historical Society and Museum.


In honor of Rosario's Centennial, a new guest registry, hand made by Orcas Island artisan Susie Shipman, was signed first by Becky Burns.


Other Moran family decendants in attendance were Orcas Islanders Patty Moran-Hodge (Great-Granddaughter), and her children Melissa and Winslow (Great-Great-Grandchildren)!


Flying all the way from New York City for the weekend was Malia (left), Great-Great-Grandaughter of Robert Moran. Next to Malia is her stepfather Stuart, mother Becky and Jerry and Jan Barto. The Barto Family enjoyed meeting many from the Orcas Island community and honoring the Moran legacy.

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Moran Mansion Centennial

The Moran Family moved into the Moran Mansion at Rosario on Orcas Island on June 21, 1909. The original guest register is on display in our lobby this summer thanks to the Burns Family (Moran
relatives).



The first entry in the register is by Mrs. Moran, who wrote "We moved in this house on this day."
The second entry is by Robert Moran, who wrote "A House built on a Rock."


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Low Tides

Low tides bring an upclose look at the incredible sea life in Cascade Bay at Rosario Resort on Orcas Island!







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June Wedding

Our first June wedding of the year brought a Chinese theme to the Compass Room at Rosario Resort.
Ju-Hsuan Cheng came all the way from Florida to Orcas Island for her wedding, with many family
members visiting from Taiwan.

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MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

It's a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend on Orcas Island! The Rosario Resort marina is full, the Cascade Bay Grill is open and the marina pool is open. A very special thanks to Director of Operations Jolene Versailles, Director of IT Dick Hansen, Front Desk agent Barbara Evans, Harbormaster Gary Joseph, Dockhands Cetacea Stanton, Jenole and Cara Peacock, Director of Engineering Deena Stitt and her staff Dave Hickman, Bobby Matheson, Andrew Fortin and Brieanna Bitzer for all their hard work in making Rosario look so beautiful!









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Jelly Fish!

Today we we were treated with a "smack" of Moon Jellies at the Rosario Resort Marina in Cascade Bay, some of the most simple and incredible creatures in Puget Sound. Moon Jellies are probably the most common jellyfish in the Northwest, and they have transparent, milky white bells rimmed with hundreds of short, hair-like tentacles.

Though they are called "jellyfish," Moon Jellies aren't really fish at all. Instead, they are considered Hydrozoa, and they have no heads, no skeletons, and no special organs for respiration or excretion. Their scientific name is Aurelia aurita, which comes from the Latin word for "light." Some scientists think Moon Jellies got this name because, instead of eyes, they have special cells called rhopalia that detect light.

Moon Jellies are found in the Atlantic Ocean from the Arctic to Florida and Mexico, and in the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to southern California. They're also found right here in Puget Sound! Huge masses of them are called smacks, which drift with the current near the beach.

The Jellies swim by expanding and contracting their bell, an action that forces water away and pushes the critter in the opposite direction. Every Moon Jelly also has four oral arms, frilled along one edge, hanging from the center of this bell. The four horseshoe shapes you spot in the center of the bell are the gonads, or sex organs. In young Moon Jellies, called polyps, these gonads are white. In mature animals, dubbed medusas, the gonads are tinged with color. The coloration of a moon jelly often changes depending on its diet. If the jelly feeds extensively on crustaceans, it turns pink or lavender. An orange tint hints that a jelly’s been feeding on brine shrimp. (Moon Jelly information courtesy of the Seattle Aquarium).

It was an incredible sight!

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First Wedding of 2009

Yesterday was a beautiful spring day on Orcas Island and we were happy to host our first wedding of the year at Rosario Resort! Congratulations to Yelizaveta and Jonathan!








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Busy Winter

We have been very busy this winter cleaning, painting and preparing to reopen! As I walked around the property the other day I was so impressed with how hard everyone was working (with such pride and love for Rosario). I ran and got my camera to capture the activity:

Deena is seen here painting a former office that will become the "Battleship" room in our expanded
Moran Mansion Museum.

In another former office, Bobby is removing a 1950's linoleum floor to reveal 100 year old teak!

Dave has been power washing, power washing, power washing!

Gary has been very busy preparing the marina (OK, I got him to pose for this picture as he had just stopped cleaning... he even put his wet shoes back on!).




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Moran State Park Webcam

The Friends of Moran State Park have sponsored a new webcam on the top of Mt. Constitution on Orcas Island. Here is one of the first images from today. Although the snow has melted in the "lowlands,"
Mt. Constitution was just spectacular with an abundance of snow in the sunshine today. The webcam will go live soon, so keep checking the Friends of Moran website for more spectacular views:

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Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve

Winter Wonderland

We've had tremedous amount of snow in the past few weeks on Orcas Island. It makes for a beautiful backdrop to the Rosario Resort Christmas decorations. Even though the resort is closed, the mansion and grounds are still alive with holiday spirit.








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New Rosario Owners

On November 14, Jerry and Jan Barto of Anacortes became the official owners of Rosario Resort & Spa. Christopher Peacock presents Jerry & Jan an original Rosario key made by Rosario creator Robert Moran.

“We are excited to be the owners and caretakers of Rosario,” stated Jerry, who along with his son Craig Barto, are the principles in the new ownership group called Rosario Signal LLC. “As Fidalgo Island residents and boaters in the San Juans, we’ve always loved the islands and understand Rosario’s importance to the region. We look forward to working with the Orcas Island community to help Rosario reach its potential under the Resort’s approved Master Plan. Restoring the Moran/Rosario legacy will be a project to be proud of.”


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Thank you!

Employee Closing Party

Rosario Resort closed today for future renovation and redevelopment. Although the future is exciting, it was wonderful to gather with all the current resort employees one last time in the Moran Lounge.


General Manager Dan Dohner thanks the staff and shares with everyone his 10 most hilarious moments over the past year. We hope Dan and his wife Laura do return next summer to enjoy a complimentary whale watching excursion ;-)


Rosario's sales, reservations and catering staff gathered one last time to salute the ghost of Mrs. Rheem (who wore a red nightgown to play poker with the local boys at the general store in the 1940's and 50's).

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Happy Birthday Sarah Geiser!

Sarah Geiser, former owner of Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island, celebrated her 80th Birthday with family and friends yesterday. With all the anticipation for Rosario's new ownership and future, it is always comforting to be anchored with Sarah's wisdom, beauty and grace. Happy Birthday Sarah, we love you!

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Rosario Sold

Rosario Resort & Spa is being purchased by an Anacortes-based, family-owned investment and development group with deep roots in the San Juans. The group is slated to take over the resort on or around October 30th.

“We are excited to be the future owners of Rosario. As Fidalgo Island residents and boaters in the San Juans, we’ve always loved the islands and understand Rosario’s importance to the region. We look forward to working with the Orcas Island community to help Rosario reach its potential under the Resort’s approved Master Plan. Restoring the Moran/Rosario legacy will be a project to be proud of.”

The current ownership, Olympus Real Estate Partners of Dallas, TX, is closing the resort on October 20th and the new ownership group has yet to announce when the resort will reopen.


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Rare Roundhouse Photo

Here is a rare photo of the Roundhouse at Rosario Resort circa 1918-20. Anchored in Cascade Bay is the Moran's newly built ship the Sanwan. This is also one of the few photos that shows the lumber storage area for the sawmill along the waterfront (to the right of the Sanwan). Like the Moran Shipyards, a small gage railway system moved lumber on and off the dock. Today, original railway ties are still seen at low tide and Roundhouse is one of our most popular suites!

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Faces of the USS Nebraska

When Robert Moran retired to Orcas Island in 1905 to build Rosario, the Moran Bros. Shipyard was finishing the construction of the USS Nebraska (BB-14). The ship was commission on July 1, 1907, with Captain Reginald F. Nicholson in command. After shakedown and alterations along the West Coast, the new battleship joined the "Great White Fleet" in San Francisco 100 years ago in the summer of 1908.

Departing San Francisco in July of 1908, the Fleet visited Honolulu, Hawaii; Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Manila, Philippine Islands; Yokohama, Japan; and Colombo, Ceylon, Suez, Egypt,Messina and Naples, Italy, then Gibraltar, before arriving in Hampton Roads, Virginia in February 1909, where President Theodore Roosevelt reviewed the fleet.

Below are some great photographs featuring faces of the USS Nebraska, from officers to deckhands to engineers. These were recently provided to the Rosario Museum courtesy of the Stowe Family, relatives of Robert Moran's brother William's wife Minnie.







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