National Register of Historic Places

Morgan Building

Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon
Listed
September 11, 1996
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
96001003

About this property

The Morgan Building is an office building located in downtown Portland, Oregon, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Morgan was home to Theodore Kruse's Rainbow Grill, which opened in October 1913. Kruse had closed his Louvre restaurant, a hotspot in the gay community, after it was a focal point of the 1912 Portland vice scandal. The Rainbow advertised "fat, juicy, delicious" oysters and a "Special Men's Grill" with meat of the diner's choosing. It closed in June 1915. The building was purchased for $27.5 million in 2008, and then next sold in 2025 for $6 million. Hunan Restaurant, Nodoguro, Roe, and Tercet have operated in the building.

Location

720 Washington St., SW
Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon
45.52064, -122.67970

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Morgan Building

This page lists Morgan Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Morgan Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Woodlark Building
Industrial
0 mi
Stevens Building
Industrial
0 mi
Electric Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Berg, Charles F., Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Calumet Hotel
Civil War
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Morgan Building listed on the National Register?

Morgan Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 11, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Morgan Building?

Morgan Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Morgan Building?

The period of significance for Morgan Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Morgan Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Morgan Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Multnomah County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Multnomah County.

Explore MultnomahCounty ›

More historic places in Oregon

Browse all historic places in Oregon.

View Oregonhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Oregon history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Oregonhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Morgan Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report