Justice White House
Justice White House, Hotel Redmond, 7529 Leary Way NE
The Justice White House or the Hotel Redmond is one of the oldest buildings in the City and represents how Redmond has grown and prospered in the century since its incorporation.
Early History
William Henry White served in the Civil War, was appointed a Washington State Supreme Court Justice, and married Emma McRedmond, the daughter of one of Redmond’s first settlers, Luke McRedmond. The Whites built their 14-bedroom home in 1889. The building is also remembered as the clubhouse for Redmond Golf Links, a former public golf course.
Justice William Henry White
Before Justice William Henry White became a Washington State Supreme Court Justice, he fought in the Civil War, earning the nickname “War Horse Bill.” During the 1880’s, he also fought injustice defending the rights of Chinese Laborers working on the railroad.
The Hotel Redmond
The White’s home also served as a hotel, being located adjacent to the former Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern railway and station. Most visitors to the area were loggers and miners. They took advantage of lodging provided by the Whites and a few other lodging houses operating in City’s original center. And as it became more popular, Hotel Redmond entertained more notable visitors such as:
- Percy Rockefeller, the nephew John D. Rockefeller, the oil magnate
- Politician and lawyer William Jennings Bryan
- Presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt
- Railroad magnate James J. Hill
After the White Family
After Judge White’s death in 1914, his wife Emma maintained the house as a hotel until 1932, when the Great Depression forced a foreclosure. It became the clubhouse for Redmond Golf Links, and today it is the home of an architecture firm.