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About Us / History of the City of Rainier

Albert and Maria Gehrke were among the first settlers to the area of Rainier, homesteading here in 1890. In 1891, George Ellsbury of Binghampton, NY platted the town site, thus producing the name of the main street through town, Binghampton Street, which is State Route 507. In 1896, Albert and his two brothers, Theodore and Paul, built a community school and church, both of  which still stands today.

In 1906, the Bob White Lumber Mill opened and brought with it prosperous times and growth in the town. Linstrom and Handforth Lumber, Deschutes Lumber Company, Gruber and Docherty, and Fir Tree Lumber quickly followed suit and established mills in the area. The city was served by both the Milwaukee and Northern Pacific Railroads. A series of devastating fires in the late 1920’s and 1930’s destroyed several mills and town buildings. Later, many residents worked for the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company in Vail. Rainier was officially incorporated in 1947.

Rainier is growing as a suburban rural community. The community has a variety of business, including a grocery store, laundromat, beauty shops, drive-in restaurants, massage and chiropractic services, automotive repair shops, tire and lube, barber shop, dirt works, cookie shop, minimart gas stations and espresso stands. There are also several in-home businesses and day care facilities. A large percent of the population commutes to nearby Olympia and Tacoma. The primary employers in our area are the Rainier School District, Rainier Market, and the City of Rainier.

As of 2021, Rainier boasts a population of 2,400 and offers many social services through churches, senior services, a food bank, Rainier Historical society, Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, Rainier Sportsman’s Club and School Athletic Boosters.