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The Loop: The Path That Connects Whitworth: The Loop, where hammock city lays and the best place to get hit in the head with a Frisbee or catch a virgin pinecone.
Although it is commonly known as “The Loop”, the green space that is considered the centerpiece of Whitworth's campus is in fact rectangular. From an aerial view, it is obvious that this part of…
Whitworth Veteran Memorial: In Memory of Those who Died Protecting the U.S.: Here lies the memories of some of the soldiers that attended Whitworth
Here Whitworth honors and remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the United States. These Whitworth students were American heroes and deserve to be remembered. To honor these…
“We’re not invisible”: Community Center Supports Urban Indians
Frustrated by rising unemployment and the lack of Indigenous recognition, Spokane’s Urban Indian population constructed their own place of cultural and community involvement.
Head for the Hills: Spokane’s Air Raid Evacuation Test of 1954
In 1954, Spokane made international news when the entire city staged a drill for a nuclear attack
Salvation Finds a Home in Spokane: "Here no person shall be turned away"
32 years after the Salvation Army arrived in Spokane, the organization opened a new headquarters in what would become one of Spokane’s most recognizable historic buildings.
Denny Yasuhara: Community Leader, Activist, and Mentor: "The greatest gift that one human being can give to another is not their wealth or position, but their honor and dignity for that is the essence of freedom." ~ Denny Yasuhara
Denny Yasuhara's involvement in the formation of the Hifumi En Apartments, his willingness to advocate for the civil rights of the Japanese American community, and his mentorship as a teacher were…
Missiles, Murder and Mystery
: Nuclear weapons, murder, and UF0s the strange happenings at Atlas No. 6.
A local tax auditor met a grisly fate in a nuclear missile silo in rural Washington State. It is now the home of an internationally renowned UFO expert.
Carl Maxey vs. The Injustices of Spokane: The Bout for Equality
Carl Maxey was an NCAA Boxing legend, whose most important fights were outside the ring. He was the first black man to graduate from Gonzaga Law School in 1951 and fought for African American's civil…
The Collapse of the Division Street Bridge: A Tragedy Paved the Way for Concrete Bridges
With five men dead, twelve injured, and neighborhoods cut off from gas and electricity, the collapse of the Division Street bridge in 1915 remains one of Spokane's worst disasters. In the wake of the…
This is Insulting to Women: Marion Moos Champions Feminism in Spokane
Opened in 1973, Spokane’s first feminist bookstore provided a safe place for women
The Pirates Den: An African American Owned and Operated Harlem Renaissance-Style Dine and Dance Club
During the time of segregation in the Spokane area, one club owned and operated by an African American wrote their own history one dance and one meal at a time.
26 Tons of Oddity: The top roadside attraction in Washington State resides right here in Spokane.
The Red Radio Flyer wagon in Riverfront Park was born out of a lifelong love for this community by the Junior League of Spokane. It continues to fulfill its dedication promise.
The Timely Tale of Dodson's Jewelers: How George Dodson set the standard for a Spokane retail experience.
George Roley Dodson established what would become one of the oldest retail stores in Washington state.
Mayor James Chase: The First Black Mayor of Spokane had a Humble Beginning
Born in 1914 to a working-class African American family in dusty Wharton, Texas, James E. Chase might not have seemed like a future mayor. The youngest of seven, money was right in his family,…
Chasing Civil Liberties: One Woman's Influence on Growing Her Hometown
Eleanor Barrow Chase, from a pioneering African American Spokane family line, helped advance civil rights in the city.
The Unlawful Arrest and Detainment of Frank Hirata: Japanese Hotel Owner Apprehended in Connection to Pearl Harbor
The FBI arrested and detained Frank Hirata, Japanese community leader and owner of the Clem Hotel, in possible connection to 1941 bombing in Hawaii.
The Civilian Conservation Corps in the Inland Northwest: "We can take it!"
From 1933 to 1942, Fort George Wright was the headquarters of the Inland Northwest Civilian Conservation Corps.
Camp Seven Mile: The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Creation of Riverside State Park
A lone chimney and and some wayside panels are all that remain of the camp of Civilian Conservation Corps 949th Company.
Red Power in Spokane: Supporting Alcatraz and Change—No Violence Necessary
“We, the American Indian Movement of Spokane, [with] members consisting of Indians from 45 different Tribes and Bands throughout the United States and Canada…do hereby go on record supporting the…
Eyes to the Skies!: Civil Defense Volunteers Ensured Safety and Posterity
Ground Observer Corps volunteers support Air Force command in protection from Soviet air attacks
The Enduring Mystery of F. Lewis Clark: “F. Lewis Clark, Spokane Millionaire, Missing—Suicide?”
The 1914 disappearance of F. Lewis Clark made headlines across the United States and remains shrouded in mystery.
Spokane Children’s Home: The Unhappiest Place on Earth
The Spokane Children’s Home was one of the most successful orphanages in Spokane in 1935 when a scandal involving the superintendent and his assistant exploded in the headlines.
Time’s Up: Spokane Community College's Clock Tower will soon be torn down to make way for the construction of the North Spokane corridor
The sands of time are running low for the massive concrete Clock Tower that stands at the entrance of the Spokane Community College. The Washington State Department of Transportation has been trying…
Spokanes Automobile Hub: When Cars Were Needed, Doran Was Your Location
Sitting on 707 W. 2nd Avenue the Doran Building was constructed in 1920 by Spokane architect Arthur Cowley. The building served as a car dealership during the peak of Spokane's automobile purchases…
Spokane in the Great War: Spokane was deeply involved in the First World War, but few visible reminders remain
The Marne bridge across Latah Creek is the only World War one monument in Spokane
The Burch Brothers Go to War: Three Spokane Lads in the First World War
“I have no feeling or human sympathy for a Hun. They are treacherous and brutal and have no sense of fairness whatever. But they will get an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." --Charles Burch
Union Pacific Rail Depot: Lost Architectural Masterpiece
Unlike the Great Northern Station which has left its mark on downtown Spokane, nothing remains of the elegant Union Station instead the Red Rider Wagon play area occupies its former location.
Old National Bank building: Reaching for the Heavens
In 1910 the National Bank building was completed, becoming the tallest building in all of Washington State for a short time.
No Vacancy, Racial Bigotry Raises Its Ugly Head: Spokane had its own segregated public facilities in the Jim Crow era, and the Davenport Hotel was one such business.
Before making his claim to fame in 1945 the up-and-coming visited Spokane Washington where he was schedule to perform at a theater. The black musician Sammy Davis Jr. was refused a room at the…
They Called Him The Sphinx: Robert E. Strahorn, Builder of the North Coast Railroad
During construction of the North Coast Railroad, Robert E Strahorn adopted a persona of mystery in order to keep competitors from learning the secret of his funding.