Rosario Historic Resort Gets


New Life By Richard Hazelton


Sailing up Eastsound in Orcas


Island and seeing the glistening Moran Mansion of Rosario Resort has long been a highlight of boating in the Northwest. It has always been a unique treat to, after enjoying the wildness of the San Juan Islands, to pull into Rosario to enjoy the luxury of swimming in the pools, enjoying a fine meal, and exploring the magnificent mansion and grounds. Built over 100 years ago by Seattle


shipbuilder Robert Moran, it was purchased for $250,000 in 1960 to become a resort, and will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary as a resort this Memorial Day. The past few years, however, have been difficult ones for the resort, and many of the amenities that made the resort so special were discontinued, until finally, the resort was sold last year. The new owner, the Barto family,


has a true appreciation of what the resort means and have taken steps to bring back the qualities that have made Rosario such a special place. The main attraction, the mansion,


now has new life, so visitors can once again taste what it was like when the Morans were living there. The original pools and spa inside the mansion are now open. The mansion gourmet restaurant, renamed the Quilted Pig, has also reopened, under the guiding hand of chef Madden Surbough. As always, the craftsmanship


throughout the mansion, with its rich mahogany paneling, earthen tone tiles, stained glass lighting and unique fireplace, testify to the workers being as much artists as craftsmen. You cannot mention the mansion


without talking about its centerpiece, the grand Music Room. The Music Room features a two


story, 1913 Aeolian pipe organ, a Belgian stain-glass window, and two mezzanine libraries overlooking a Tiffany chandelier. A preeminent part of the Rosario


Top: The impressive sight of Moran’s mansion has greeted boaters sailing up East Sound for over one hundred years.


Above: The immaculate grounds abound with colorful flora. 48° NORTH, AUGUST 2010 PAGE 42


experience is Christopher Peacock, a musician whose summer job in 1980, turned into a 30-year love affair with the resort. His critically acclaimed performances on the pipe organ and the Steinway in this unique setting are extraordinary. During his long tenure with the resort, Peacock became more involved


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