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Self-defense or murder?: A scandalous murder trial in turn-of-the-century Medical Lake
Josephine Barth claimed that she shot her husband when he advanced on her with a poker. Her twelve-year-old daughter told a different story.
“Uncle Dan” Drumheller, Spokane’s beloved Murderer?: How a Spokane icon got away with murder--perhaps?
Charged with the Murder of an Indian man in 1883, Dan Drumheller was never found guilty—but there's more to the story than meets the eye.
Romance and Murder in Prohibition-Era Colville: A 1930 murder in Colville and a He-Said, She-Said Trial
A family argument led to a mother's death and a daughter's arrest--but who really killed Susie Moses?
A jackass, a big hill, and the community that loves them: This is the story of the lucrative jackass that started it all (up on a hill), the memory and embodiment of that jackass (and that hill), and the story of survival of a beloved ski area that was far from lucrative.
All ski areas have many ups and downs in their history, not just in relation to lift operations up and down the mountain. But the Jackass Ski Resort has had more downs than ups in its lifetime. It is…
Lookout Pass: The ski area discovered by freight-hoppers, which grew into a real winter sport destination.
Today we have heli-skiing for the true adventurers who want to tackle untamed powder, but in the early 1900s it took real ingenuity to access downhill ski areas off the beaten path. Located in the…
The Sunken Ore of Lake Coeur d’Alene: Every body of water holds history and buried secrets, some may be dark or tantalizingly lucrative, others just let the trash and junk tell their stories. Lake Coeur d’Alene is no exception.
When you hear of shipwrecks and sunken treasure, the mind automatically drifts to thoughts of pirates and the deep sea. But there is a rumor of a different kind of treasure sitting at the bottom of…
A Gathering Place, The Historical Fort Sherman: A place of beauty, used for centuries as a gathering place, became the foundation of the city we know today as Coeur d’Alene.
The first rule of business is to be careful who you partner with. The beauty of Coeur d’Alene drew attention that changed the course of history for both the Coeur d’Alene people and the inland pacific…
J.C. White House - New Museum of North Idaho: J.C. White was a strong supporter of “keeping it local”, he helped build the city we know today.
J.C. White was an engineer who liked to party, but he was also a strong proponent of community and development. It is tough to strike the right balance, but as the history of Coeur d’Alene shows, it…
The 4th of July Regatta on Lake Coeur d’Alene: A true celebration is incomplete without things that are loud and go fast, that is how the Coeur d'Alene 4th of July festivities began.
Forty horsepower engines and twelve year olds racing! Newspaper records show the first competitive rooster tails spouted over lake Coeur d’Alene on July 3rd, 1913, for the early 20th century, Coeur…
Spokane’s New Era In Transportation: In the early 1900's, this city had one of the largest concentrations of automobiles West of the Mississippi
Horse-drawn carriages became less desirable, streetcars and railroads were well established around the county and in the city, and a new contraption called the automobile became the dominant mode of…
The Parsons Hotel: The historic Parsons Hotel has known good times and bad, mirroring the rest of downtown Spokane
Located on the southwest corner of Jefferson and First Avenue, the Parsons Hotel opened in 1910 as a family-oriented hotel with 104 rooms. It was built in 1909 by W. E. Parsons, a railroad man and…
Redlinging's Lingering Shadows: Housing discrimination shaped Spokane in ways that are still visible today
The East Central is a primary example of the ways that raciallly restricted housing policies altered a neighborhood.
Historical African American Neighborhoods in Spokane: In Spokane's earliest decades, neighborhoods were segregated by wealth, not by race.
Before 1920, Spokane neighborhoods had no formal policies segregating housing by race. Successful Black Spokanites erected fine residents all over town, many of which still stand today.
Spokane's Debate for Fair Housing: The 1968 Debates between Carl Maxey and James S. Black
In 1968, two powerful men squared off in a series of debates that would help to shape Spokane
The Origins of Segregated Neighborhoods in Spokane: It Started in the Cemeteries
By the mid-20th century, racially segregated neighborhoods became common in Spokane. Some were segregated by the force of law.
Fast Times at the Hotel Emery: Brawls, thefts, scams, and scandals filled the brief life of this downtown hotel.
One of the early hostelries for visitors to Spokane Falls was the Hotel Emery, a two-story brick building on Riverside between Washington and Bernard that opened in 1892. The building's first owner is…
The Segregated South Hill: William H. Cowles, Jr.'s push for an all-white neighborhood
How one prominent Spokanite used racial discrimination to promote his real estate empire.
Airway Heights, Washington’s Unknown Sundown Town: One of Eastern Washington's newer communities was founded with racial restrictions
“Airway Heights celebrated its 50-year history June 14, 2005 and has Carl M. and Flora K. Lundstrom to thank for early city-building. The Lundstrom’s were the first to plat the land, donate parcels…
Susan Crump Glover:
First Wife of James Nettle Glover: Notable for Her Absence in Local History
Susan Crump Glover moved to Spokane Falls with her husband, James, in August 1873. Even though there is much historical information about James—the Father of Spokane—there is a curious lack of…
Whistalks Way: Fort George Wright Drive Renamed Whistalks Way
After Colonel Edward Steptoe's defeat by local Native tribes, Colonel George Wright was sent to avenge the U.S. military. Wright's murderous rampage resulted in a street sign memorial in his name.…
Ice Skating in the Little Spokane River Valley
In a time when distractions were less a part of our daily lives, outdoor recreation was a top priority for most folks in the Spokane area. Ice skating was one of the most popular activities outdoors,…
The Spokane Mountaineers: From Walking to Summiting
Beginning as a group of active librarians, the Spokane Walking Club evolved to become the Spokane Mountaineers
Nick Mamer Memorial Clock: Honoring an Aviation Pioneer in Spokane
A remarkable figure in aviation history, Nick Mamer soared to new heights as an accomplished pilot whose achievements captured the world's attention.
The Moon Crater: A Spokanite Who Brought A Piece of the Moon to Expo 74’
Unnoticed by many as they pass by on the Centennial Trail, "Moon Crater" by famous sculptor Glen Michaels is part of the many art installations at the World’s Fair Expo in 1974.
The Hoyt Smokestack: A Relic From the Blossoming of Spokane’s Flower Industry
“I have faith to believe that we have only just begun to see the development of this wonderful section of the United States and I am proud indeed to have been able to add my mite in bringing about…
American Legion Cenotaph: A commemoration of veterans who served the country.
The American Legion Cenotaph reflects the development of Armistice Day and the honoring of WWI veterans.
Kurt Waldheim at EWU: Commencement Speaker, United Nations Secretary General, War Criminal
In 1982, Eastern Washington University set out to find a notable commencement speaker to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
Invitations to participate in the centennial celebrations went out to…
St. Michael's Mission Marker: This obscure monument tells a story of Catholic history in Spokane.
All but forgotten in a residential neighborhood, a granite marker stands in one of Spokane's most historic spots.
In Honor of Her Father: The tale of Sonora Smart Dodd, the mother of Father’s Day
"I began thinking of my mother who passed away in 1898 while I was yet a child. My thoughts naturally turned to my father who was left with the responsibility of rearing six children." - Sonora Dodd
Chief Garry's Last Campsite: Tucked away on a forested bench of land over Mystic Falls, is the final homesite of one of Spokane's most famous residents.
Past the northern trailhead of Indian Canyon Trail towards Mystic Falls, a large metal sign marks the last campsite of Spokane Garry, whose epic life including many of the most dramatic events for the…