Historic 1916 hotel at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park

Located at 5,400 feet on the south slope of Mount Rainier, Paradise Inn opened on July 1, 1917. Built by the Rainier National Park Company, the inn is named after Paradise, the area of the mountain where it is situated. It serves as a starting point for many climbers beginning their ascent of the mountain. The inn was designed by Frederick Heath of Heath, Gove & Bell in 1915. The National Park Service moved the planned location to Paradise after the original financier backed away from the project.

The inn features native building materials, including cedar shingles, native rock, and weathered timbers salvaged from a fire in 1885. After 30 years of aging, these timbers developed a silver sheen. While the original plan called for a red roof, the Park Service chose a green roof to blend in with the natural environment, following the National Park Service Rustic style of architecture. The construction cost between $90,000 and $100,000. The building is constructed with exposed cedar logs that form its structural framework.

In 1920, a four-story Paradise Annex was added, containing 100 rooms. The inn is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a major component of the Paradise Historic District. It is also part of the Mount Rainier National Historic Landmark District, which recognizes the park's inventory of National Park Service rustic architecture. In 1979, US$1.75 million was spent to strengthen and restore the building, and it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

The great hall measures 50 by 112 feet and includes a wrap-around mezzanine level added in 1925. The dining room features a 50-foot high stone fireplace. Furniture for the inn was created from local materials by carpenter Hans Fraehnke, including two 1,500-pound tables, a 14-foot tall grandfather clock, and a rustic piano that President Harry S. Truman played on during a visit in 1945.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons