Aubrey L. White Parkway

Text

Aubrey L. White is the known as the father of Spokane's Parks. He arrived in Spokane in 1889 and spent a lot of time mapping, marking, and noting the incredible views and features in the Spokane area. He was instrumental in bringing the famous landscape architects, the Olmsted Brothers to help design and make recommendations for Spokane's parks, parkways, and play fields. "Spokane's Civic Horse Trader," one man park board, gardener, early Spokane pioneer, president of a "City Beautiful" organization called the 150,000 club, and garden editor for the Spokeman Review are just a few of the many hats worn by Aubrey L. White during his life in Spokane. He served as the first park board president in Spokane from 1907 to 1922. Once he left the park board his work did not end. He worked tirelessly to secure land around Mt. Spokane and the Bowl and Pitcher area.

In his own words, "early parks were a little more than groves where the citizens might picnic on a holiday...nobody expected more of the park than space, shade, and a cool breeze now and then...we campaigned the city, showing the actual value of the parks, pointing out the desirability of playgrounds situated within walking distance of every Spokane home, indicating the added beauty of boulevards to residence districts."

Because of his desire to see parklands along the Spokane River a drive in Riverside State Park is named for Aubrey L. White and winds along the Spokane River with breath-taking views of the river and the surrounding hills, trees, and cliffs.