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Spokane's Gold Star Mothers: Some Spokane mothers gave their all to the war effort, and not every son returned
Wilmer Evers died in a Prisoner Of War camp in the Philippines during World War Two. His mother was given a gold star pin to honor the sacrifice her son made for his country.
Prisoners of War Camps: Axis POWs in the Inland Northwest
As the Second World War progressed, Americans captured many Axis prisoners--particularly in Europe. What to do with these men?
World War II Airshow Catastrophe: Horror Rode the Skies Crashing Down to Earth
For a crowd of 100,000 in the Inland Northwest a war show became a little too real when two airplanes crashed and exploded.
Air Raid Preparation: How Spokane Protected Citizens During World War Two
During World War Two the United States took measures to ensure civilian safety, which included the creation of the Office of Civilian Defense. The Spokane Office of Civilian Defense helped protect…
Native Palouse Falls Creation Story
In the modern world, science explains why the world turns and how natural wonders, such as waterfalls, are created and formed. Prior to modern science, however, there were still answers needed to…
Old Bones Cemetery
The Palouse Indian Village at the confluence of the Palouse and Snake Rivers was home to many generations of Native peoples until the mid-1940s. The river provided the village with ample fish and…
Starbuck Cemetery
Cemeteries are more than a place of rest; they are physical records of the history of their communities. Nestled on a green hillside above the Tucannon River, the Starbuck Cemetery tells the story of…
Bridge With A Past
The cantilever Snake River Bridge has had a few different names over the years because of its past. The Old Columbia River Bridge was originally constructed in 1927 at Vantage. The carbon steel bridge…
Who Was Harlen Bretz?
J Harlen Bretz, whose given name was Harley J. Bretz, was born in 1882 in Michigan. The oldest of five children, Bretz had an early interest in astronomy and the natural environment that surrounded…
History of Starbuck
Starbuck is a small town of only 129 residents located in southeastern Washington near the Snake River. It has a warm climate and mild winters. The Snake River, Tucannon River, and surrounding land…
An Overlook to Memorialize a Renowned Geologist
The Fryxell Overlook is a wonderful viewpoint to see Palouse Falls and the Palouse River. The gazebo is dedicated to R.H. Fryxell and located a short hike south of the parking lot at Palouse Falls…
The Bank of Starbuck
The Bank of Starbuck has stood for over 100 years and looks ahead for the next century. When the bank was constructed in 1904, there were no federal protections for depositors. What kept money safe…
Creation of Palouse Falls State Park
Palouse Falls State Park, located 18 miles southeast of Washtucna, is a beautiful recreational campground that offers a breathtaking view of the Palouse Falls. The Palouse Falls and the surrounding…
Palouse Village
Palouse village, known to the local tribes as Naha’u’umpu’u, or “People of the River,” was one of the oldest sites of the Palus (or Palouse) Indians of the Pacific Northwest. It is located at the…
Kayaker Tyler Bradt Who Paddled over Palouse Falls
An American whitewater kayaker takes the biggest plunge in an attempt to set a world record. Tyler Bradt was born in Stevensville, Montana. Tyler was kayaking class five rapids at the age of 12, and…
Was it a Spokane High School Teacher who Solved the Riddle of the Ice Age Floods?
We have learned to think of J. Harlen Bretz as the genius who first realized that many of the geologic features of Eastern Washington were carved by catastrophic flooding. However, there is some…
Mammoth Undertaking for Cheney Students
In the early 1990s, second-graders in Mrs. Sara Jane Aebly’s class at Windsor Elementary School discovered that Washington State did not have an official state fossil. Encouraged by their teacher,…
Tiffany’s Skate Inn: A Roller Skating Palace for Its Era
It was the place to see and been seen
The Hotel Aberdeen: and Carrie Harris
In a time before women had the right to vote, Carrie Harris was financially independent and a successful businesswoman.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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
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
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…
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…
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.
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.
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