Built in 1905, the building is significant in the context of Spokane’s commercial and social history for its association with an early twentieth century demographic trend that saw an overwhelming influx of working class men and women flock to the city, and a resulting building boom that sparked the construction of a multitude of SROs throughout the Spokane region. Providing housing needs for hundreds of working class citizens for more than sixty years, the National Hotel is one of only twenty remaining SROs that were originally erected in Spokane’s east downtown neighborhood, an area that once held more than one hundred single room occupancy hotels. The building was built for prominent Spokane pioneer, politician, and entrepreneur Huber Rasher, and his wife Margaret, who owned the property for thirty-nine years.  

The National Hotel is a contributing property in the East Downtown Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Management Agreement