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Dave Clack, Resident and Business Owner Since 1938
"It's been a very graphic, if not shocking display of what a major infrastructure change can have on a neighborhood."
Dave Clack's family has owned property and operated businesses in the East…
Jerry Numbers, Resident Since 1945
"I-90 might have been good for Spokane, but it was not good for [the East Central] neighborhood."
Jerry Numbers is, without a doubt, the most recognized leader in the East Central neighborhood. He…
Claudia Holtz, Associated Since the 1908s
"[The I-90 freeway] separated the little neighborhood [to the north] from all the services on the south side."
Claudia Holtz does not live in the East Central neighborhood, but she has worked…
Wayne Struck, Resident Since 1944
"[The effects of I-90 were] very negative. I don't know, it just seemed to take the heart out of the people."
Wayne Struck has lived in the East Central neighborhood since 1944. One the…
Lois D'Ewart, Resident Since 1960
"You'd have thought we moved to the North Pole when we moved to the other side of the freeway."
Lois D'Ewart has lived in the East Central neighborhood since 1960, long enough to remember the…
The Railroads of Silver Valley
The Union Pacific Freight Depot is a legacy from Idaho's great age of rail.
When precious metals were discovered in Northern Idaho, the region exploded with mining activity. Railroads rushed in to…
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…
My Name is Jim Wardner
My name is James Fredrick Wardner but my friends call me Jim. Despite the lack of notoriety for my accomplishments, I contributed a great deal to the mining success in the Silver Valley. Because of my…
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…
The Mullan Tree
North of I-90, just off of exit 28 is a short interpretive trail dedicated to the memory of Captain John Mullan and special 4th of July celebration.
While excavating a military road in the…
Mullan, Idaho
Today a small, quiet settlement of 690 people, Mullan, Idaho was once a bustling mining town. Located just four miles west of the Montana border, Mullan was established in 1884. The town was named…
Salmon and the Spokane Falls
For thousands of years, American Indians gathered here at the base of Spokane Falls to fish for salmon. In June of each year, giant 60 to 80 pound Chinook would make it to the Spokane River. Though…
The First Presbyterian Church
Founded in 1883 when Washington was still a territory, the First Presbyterian Church has grown up with the City of Spokane.
Reverend Thomas G. Watson came to Spokane from Wisconsin in 1883 by…
Joe Albi Stadium: Local Teams Find A Home to Play
As Spokane grew in size and importance, it became apparent that the city would need a stadium for local and visiting sports teams as well as traveling music acts.
The decision to build came before…
Camas on the Plateau
Every spring, many of the meadows of the eastern Washington and northern Idaho are dotted with the blue flowers of the camas plant, cammasia quamash. To the Native peoples of the Columbia Plateau…
Silverwood - From Airport to Theme Park
Regionally known as the largest amusement park in the Inland Northwest, Silverwood has a long and varied history as an airport, an air museum, and finally a place of roller coasters and waterslides.…
Washington Water Power
Washington Water Power (WWP), renamed Avista in 1999, is one of few local institutions to trace its history to when Washington was a territory. In early 1889, a group of Spokane businessmen organized…
Spokane's Trolley Cars
The steel rails that still peek through the pavement here and there in Spokane remind us of the days of trolley cars. At one time, the tracks that lay before you carried Spokanites to work, shops,…
Mr Blandings Builds his Dream House
[Note: This location is a private residence, not open to the public.]
This Spokane home has a Hollywood pedigree. It was built to promote the 1948 film, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.…
Indian Congress
After hundreds of years of American oppression, American Indians gained the right to vote in the land they called home since time immemorial with the passing of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. …
Midnite Mine
In 1954, the long and deadly hand of the Cold War touched the Spokane Reservation. Uranium was found in the remote mountains. To exploit this fuel and bomb-making material the Midnite Mine opened…
The Spokane Coliseum
"Like the pyramids of Egypt and Grand Coulee dam, Spokane's mammoth concrete and steel structure, the municipal Coliseum, has been built to last," pronounced the Spokane Daily Chronicle on December 3,…
Nine Mile Falls
In Spokane as elsewhere, waterpower was the driving force behind industrial development. The dam and powerhouse at Nine Mile Falls are key pieces of Spokane history. This dam and its builder, Jay P.…
Tubbs Hill
Tubbs Hill overlooks the City of Coeur d'Alene. It is situated between the lake, the resort and the rest of downtown Coeur d'Alene. It is purely a lucky mistake that the hill became a public park…
The Lincoln Statue
President Herbert Hoover sent the telegram that unveiled the Lincoln Statue in 1930. Over 40,000 people gathered in Spokane on Armistice Day to view the bronze statue that many had contributed…
Monroe Street Bridge
The river that lent its name to Spokane has also been a barrier to the development of the city. No sooner was Spokane established than city fathers looked for places to bridge the raging currents.…
The Salmon Chief
For thousands of years the Spokane River's lower falls have been a fishing spot for several Native American tribes. During annual runs, the salmon were so numerous here that it was difficult to see…
Huntington Park
When asking about the history of Huntington Park many will ask you if you mean the park that opened just this year. Huntington Park has been at the heart of the Spokane River for over thirty years. …
Rise and Fall of Valleyford
The tiny community of Valleyford has a story like many of the small towns of the Palouse. The area was first settled in the 1880s, and Valleyford was incorporated in 1906. The town enjoyed some…