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Milwaukee Road Recreational Trail
In 1910, the "Milwaukee Road" extended nearly 1,500 miles as it stretched from Chicago to Seattle. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (CM & SP) was, for a period in the late-19th and…
Frontier Violence in Colfax: The Courthouse Lynchings
Nineteenth century Americans loved a good courthouse. Here in 1889, the residents of Whitman County constructed a grand gothic palace of justice that stood prominently until 1957 when it was torn…
The Codger Pole
Old grudges die hard. In 1938, cross-county archrivals the Colfax Bulldogs and the St. John Eagles met in a bitterly contested football matchup. St. John emerged the victors with a score of 14 - 0,…
Prairie View Schoolhouse in Waverly
One-room schoolhouses were a common sight in the 19th century American West. Although most have been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair, there are still some left that have been restored…
Prehistory in the Palouse: Marmes Rockshelter
In 1952, a Palouse farmer named Roland "Squirt" Marmes discovered a strange rock formation on his property near the town of Hooper, Washington. That same year, another Hooper rancher named John…
Spokane Valley Heritage Museum/Opportunity Township Hall
You are looking at one of the last physical remnants of the now defunct "Township" form of government in Washington. A state vote in 1908 granted the formation of County Townships as semi-autonomous,…
What Happened to Saltese Lake?
Most Spokane-area residents are familiar with Liberty Lake near the Idaho-Washington border, but few are aware that there once existed an even larger lake only a few miles west of Liberty Lake.…
Plante's Ferry
You are looking at the very spot where the first ferry crossing over the Spokane River was located from 1854-1866. The area was once a well-known ford used by area tribes for generations, but in 1854…
The Dishman Theater: From Ma and Pa Kettle to Pornography
Commercial buildings often live multiple lives, changing with their neighborhoods. Such is the case with the Dishman Theater.
Dishman Theater opened its doors on November 6, 1938. It was to be the…
Cutter Theatre (Metaline Falls School): A community rallies to save an historic icon
How an abandoned school building gained new life
Kirtland Hall: Kirtland Cutter's surprising Yale connection
A rich lady's wish comes true
First Church of Christ, Scientist
The year 1889 brought a new religious experience to Spokane. The Church of Christ, Scientist, was described by one adherent as “similar to Protestantism,” with having the added benefit of scientific…
The Snake Pit
If you had visited this bar in the late 19th century, you'd have encountered dance hall girls, gamblers, and famous lawman Wyatt Earp. Welcome to one of the oldest bars in the Silver Valley, The Snake…
The Gem Mine and the Pinkerton Detective Agency
The modern surveillance state casts a long shadow back to the center of silver extraction: the Coeur d’Alene Mining District in northern Idaho during the late nineteenth century. In 1892 Charles…
Fort Colvile: A Hidden Gem in the Columbia Basin
Two global fur trade companies became one through a forced merger, a deal that would have a lasting effect on the fur trade in the Pacific Northwest.
Indian Scouts at Fort Spokane: A Failed Experiment or Cultural Resistance?
Native American scouts were widely used by the US Army beginning with the Revolutionary War. Indian scouts helped the military navigate through unfamiliar terrain and cultures. These native men,…
A Snapshot in the Life of John McAdams Webster: A Coast to Coast Adventure from West Point to Fort Spokane
Plagued by poor health, John McAdams Webster served in the U.S Army at a time when military conflict was unlikely. But no matter where his career took him, he served with distinction. As a school…
The Gifford Odd Fellows: The Independent Order of the Odd Fellows were not so odd.
An organization that spread across America and the world like a wildfire, The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a fraternal organization that was the first of its kind to include women. The Odd…
Cheney's Interurban Depot: A Reminder of the Electric Trolleys
100 Years Ago, Light Rail Connected Many of the Region's Small Towns to Spokane
Cheney Electric Light Works and Leifer Apartments: A sign of prosperity in the rural countryside
From generating electricity to embalming corpses, this 19th-century Cheney building has had many uses.
Boarding School Days: Fort Spokane Tour
What you see in front of you is where the barracks would have stood. While the ground floor was used to contain the kitchen, mess hall, wash room, library and non-commissioned officer's rooms, the…
The Workshop Building
The workshop building was originally built in 1885 and cost the government $1,013.78. The 136 foot by 24 foot structure housed the blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, paint shop, tanner and wheelwright…
Spokane Shows Its Pride: “We’re Here. We’re Queer. We’re Fabulous- Get Used To It!”
In 1992, Spokane’s first pride march moved forward under restriction and threat, as participants took to the sidewalks to demand visibility in a city that had yet to make space for them.
Bill Jackson: The Story of a Mixed-Race Indian in Early Spokane: Part 1: From the Prairie to the Prison
Abandoned by his white father, Bill Jackson struggled to navigate Spokane frontier society in the late 19th century. Hardships and trauma pushed him towards a treacherous crime.
The Death of Bill Jackson: Part 2: Police Brutality or Rough Justice?
Abandoned by his white father, Bill Jackson struggled to navigate Spokane society as a mixed-race Indian in the late 19th century. Hardships and trauma pushed him towards a treacherous crime and…
A Brief History of Wallace, Idaho
At the heart of the Silver Valley, Wallace has always been a town of boom and bust.
Founded in 1884, the town is named for William R. Wallace, a local farmer. Silver mining would soon replace…
Tiffany’s Skate Inn: A Roller Skating Palace for Its Era
It was the place to see and been seen
Great Northern Railway Depot in Harrington
The rise and fall of railroads and railroad depots mirror the rise and fall of towns in the western United States. The town of Harrington, Washington was one of the many beneficiaries of the Great…
Ivan Bush, Resident Since 1978
"At one time the East Central neighborhood was the most diverse neighborhood in the city."
In this interview Ivan Bush, who has lived in the East Central neighborhood for over 35 years, identifies…
Debbie Takami, Resident Since the 1960s
"The area where we grew up was a real neighborhood. Now it's just fast food restaurants and the freeway."
Debbie Takami is a life-long resident of Spokane. She grew up in the East Central…