The Palace Hotel was built in 1874 on what is now 1st Avenue (formerly Front Street) between Marian and Madison Streets. It survived the Great Seattle Fire in 1889 and was a stopping point for miners heading to the Alaskan Klondike Gold Rush in 1896-1899. The donor's parents leased and managed the hotel from 1949-1958. The donor recounts many stories of hotel guests, and their exploits, mostly on the seedy side, during that time period. Many of the guests were seamen on leave, union workers, performers, prostitutes, or other rough characters. There was a speakeasy in the same building called the Stork Club and next door was the Rivoli Theater which featured vaudeville acts and strip shows.