The streetcars of Spokane began in an era when there weren't many ways to get around. The citizens of Spokane could walk, or they could take their own carriage to their destination. Elite businessmen of this time (end of the 19th Century) had a carriage house attached to their house and a driver to drive their carriage into town. Those who could not afford such luxuries typically walked wherever they needed to go.

Real estate investors sought to make their properties more accessible to the people and added streetcars to get people to their developments. Streetcars began in Spokane in 1886 when John J. Browne, Henry C. Marshall and Andrew Ross joined together to create the Spokane Street Railway Company. These streetcars rode on wooden plank roads and were large carriages drawn by a team of two horses.

The initial streetcar line was a line that went from downtown to Browne's Addition and over the Post street Bridge to the Spokane County Courthouse. One of the main reasons why the streetcars began in Browne's Addition was so that those who worked at the houses of the wealthy had a way to get to work.

Over time the streetcars changed and became electrified, eliminating the horses while increasing their efficiency. The streetcars ran all throughout Spokane and even had an interurban route that took passengers to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

In the second decade of the 20th Century personal vehicles began to rise in availability and popularity. Within only a few decades privately owned automobiles replaced the streetcar as a way to navigate to and from work. Eventually the Washington Water Power Company bought the streetcars of Spokane and sold them their much needed electricity at an affordable rate. The streetcar system in Spokane was shut down for good in 1936 only 50 years after it began.

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The Avenida Apartments are private residences, please observe their privacy by observing the building from the sidewalk.

The Avenida Apartment House is located at 2009 W Pacific and were built in 1909. The Avenida Apartments were commissioned by Isaac Baum and are designed by Architect W.W. Hyslop and were initially designed to house 14 luxury rental apartments. In 1909 Isaac Baum applied for a building permit to build these apartments. This permit was granted by the City of Spokane, it called for "three and a half story brick apartment house, Browne's addition, $35,000." By the early 20th Century many of Spokane's elite were moving from their large mansions into more manageable apartment space.

The Avenida Apartments were luxury apartments. This determination did not only mean that they were well equipped and comfortable for the regions more affluent citizens, it also means that these apartments were very different from the Single Residence Occupancy apartments (also known as SROs) common in the downtown core. Residents of SROs would usually stay in the same unit for a season while awaiting their next temporary or seasonal type employment, typicially working at logging camps or in mines.

The Avenida Apartments had much more permanent residents with professional jobs. In 1929 the apartments had 25 residents, by 1934 eight of those residents still lived at the Avenida. In 1939 4 of the same 25 residents who had lived there in 1929 still resided at the Avenida Apartments.

Residents of the Apartments were folks like Jessie Burns McNair. McNair was born on January 15th, 1890, whe attended High School in Post Falls, Idaho. By May 20, 1915 Jessie had completed a three year nursing training course at St. Luke's Hospital in Spokane. By 1929 McNair was working as a nurse for the City of Spokane Health Department, while living at the Avenida Apartments. McNair lived in Apartment unit H until at least 1939. What was surprising about McNair was that she lived in the apartment unit alone. Most other women who lived in these apartments at this time were widows who were sharing an apartment unit with another widow.

Other residents included: Herbert L. Douglas and his wife Mary, Herbert was a Manager at the Davenport Hotel downtown, Fred A. Howard and his wife Eva, Howard was a salesman for Joyner Drug Company, Charles A. Bemis and his wife Vera, Bemis was a clerk at the Federal Reserve Bank.

The Avenida Apartments was a small representative of what luxury apartments were like in Spokane. The Avenida block was built as apartments and has always been apartments since their construction over 100 years ago. The property is currently managed by the historic preservation minded Wells & Co.

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The Lowenberg-Roberts House is a private residence, please observe this home from the sidewalk.

The Lowenberg-Roberts House, located at 1923 W First Ave., was built for Bernard Loewenberg in 1889 and was designed by architect W.J. Carpenter. The Lowenberg-Roberts House is an excellent example of the Queen Anne style in Spokane. The first floor is clad with Granite and brick quoining while the upper story reverses this process cladding with brick and granite quoining. This home sits on a stone foundation and has a hipped roof with multiple gables. A rounded tower on the West side with a domed roof is one of the unique features of this home. Notice the ample windows in the home bringing in lots of light, espicially the large arched second story window on the North side. There is a carriage house behind the home, on the South side, created in a similar style.

Bernard Loewenberg had been part owner in a general mercantile store in Spokane and eventually rose to prominence being one of the directors of the Spokane National Bank. Following the Panic of 1893, Loewenberg traded homes with noted civil, railroad engineer Edward J. Roberts to escape his debt. Roberts was one of the most prominent civil railroad engineers in the country. At this time a civil railroad engineer was charged with laying out and designing railroads as well as overseeing construction. Throughout the course of his career Roberts worked on the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Omaha Railroad, the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, the Canadian Pacific Railroad and the Great Northern Railroad. While working with the Great Northern Railroad Edward Roberts was in charge of surveying and construction of the road from Milnot, North Dakota to Great Falls, Montana. This section of road, 550 miles, was completed in only six months. This pace was a record in the United States and brought Roberts acclaim throughout the Railroad construction industry. Edward Roberts and Mary Tracy married in December of 1883.

Today the home operates as a bed and breakfast and hosts events such as weddings. If you are interested in booking a room or an event please visit their website at www.ejrobertsmansion.com .

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Sitting roughly 500 feet above Hangman Creek, Overlook Park is a great place to relax and enjoy the view of hangman valley. Overlook Park was conceived as part of the Browne's Addition Neighborhood Re-vitalization in the 1980s and 1990s as a way to use the empty lots along Coeur d'Alene Street to better serve the community. The park has two benches and serves as a trailhead, which traverses the valley wall to terminate at Hangman Creek. The trail is well groomed and leads to another trail that parallels the creek.

As you look out across Hangman Valley, across the valley on the right hand side or North you will notice the beautiful forests and homes in the inland northwest. Directly across the valley lies High Bridge Park. High Bridge Park is located along Hangman Creek and contains public meeting, grassy areas complete with BBQs. The park also contains a well used disc golf course, which is open to the public. In the South West corner of High Bridge park is an expansive off leash Dog Park where Spokane's dog lovers can take their dogs to run and play together. Please be sure to watch over and pick up after your dog while in the Dog Park.

If you look to the South, you will see many different bridges carrying people to and from the great city of Spokane. The hill leaving Spokane, in front of you, has been called 'Sunset Hill' for generations.

Before Interstate 90 shouldered the responsibility of transporting individual motorists across the state, the Sunset Highway was developed. The Sunset Highway, U.S. Route 10, went from Seattle to Detroit. In Washington this route traversed the state from the Idaho border through Spokane and to Seattle. As motorists left Spokane they drove through many small towns including: Wilbur, Almira, Hartline, Orando and Wenatchee among others. The highway travels over Blewett Pass and Snoqualmie Pass before getting to Fall City where motorists continued onto Seattle. This highway was replaced by I-90, which first came to Washington in 1968 and was constructed in sections. Today the Sunset Highway survives as WA Route 2, which takes a slightly different route than U.S. Route 10, going over Stevens Pass rather than Snoqualmie Pass, but is still used by motorists who believe it is not the destination, but the journey that is important.

The following is a brief history of the events leading to the name, Hangman Creek:

In 1855 the Yakima chiefs warned Colonel George Wright of the U.S. Army and other white men to stay out of Yakima territory or face death. Owhi and his son Qualchan had been enforcing these consequences from 1855 to 1858 when on September 23rd, 1858 Owhi was called to meet with Colonel George Wright at Camas Prairie Creek. Upon arrival, Owhi was seized and bound in irons. Owhi's son, Qualchan was staying outside of camp. Qualchan had been implicated in the murder of the Indian agent, Bolen and had "been most determined in hostility." On the same day that Owhi was detained the Army was able to get the location of Qualchan from him. Colonel Wright sent a message to Qualchan if he didn't surrender to the camp, Owhi would be killed. On September 24th, 1858 Qualchan traveled into camp. On his way into camp he missed a party of his tribesmen who were riding out to warn him of the impending danger awaiting him at the camp. Upon arrival at camp Qualchan was sent to Colonel Wright's quarters. After Wright confirmed Qualchan's identity he signed an order to have him killed. Once the soldiers began to march Qualchan to his death, Qualchan attacked the camp in an attempt to escape. To Qualchan escape without Owhi was unacceptable. As Qualchan was cutting Owhi loose from his bonds a rope was thrown over his head. Qualchan was then dragged to a small tree and hanged. Colonel George Wright recorded their meeting: "Qualchan came to see me at 9 o'clock, and at 9:15 he was hung."

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The Finch mansion is a private residence. Please observe the residences privacy by remaining on the sidewalk as you examine this historic home.

The Finch mansion was designed and built by renowned architect Kirtland Cutter in1898. The home was designed in a Georgian Revival style. One of the most notable features of the Finch mansion is the four, 3-foot diameter, Ionic columns, which span two stories in the front of the home. The home originally had two wings, which were five-sided bays with fireplace alcoves. As the home was converted from a single-family residence into apartments, the North and south wings were expanded.

John Aylard Finch was born in England in 1852. At the age of 5 his mother, Sophia, and father, William, took the family across the Atlantic to the United States of America. Once in America the finch family settled in Cleveland, Ohio where at age eight John began his schooling. Finch finished school at the age of 13 to work in the iron and steel industry. Finch moved many times following his ambition from Montreal, Canada then to Chicago, Illinois. Later he began to move west and headed out to Denver and eventually to Leadville, Colorado where he began working with mining. In 1887 Finch moved from Colorado to Washington Territory in pursuit of gold and other precious metals, he was traveling west with a friend, Amasa B. Campbell.

Campbell and Finch became strong business associates and formed the mining firm, Finch & Campbell. Finch & Campbell began their inland northwest mining empire by purchasing the Gem mine in the Coeur d'Alene district. After making a great profit with the Gem Mine they developed the Standard mine in 1891, then the Hecla mine shortly thereafter. The Standard and Hecla mines paid huge dividends, Campbell became president of both mines, while Finch was the accountant and secretary. As their mining prowess grew so did their territory as they opened up the Enterprise and Standard mines in British Columbia, Canada.

Finch was not content to maintain in mines his entire career. As he became more successful he began to diversify his investments. Mr. Finch became president of the White & Bender Company, the Coeur d'Alene Hardware Company, Blalock Fruit Company of Walla Walla and the National Lumber & Box Company of Hoquiam. Finch maintained his connection with his business partner throughout these ventures, naming Mr. Campbell vice president to all of these further business ventures. When the Davenport Hotel Company was being formed it was no surprise that Finch was a heavy stockholder.

Finch was a civic leader, donating time and money to many organizations that were not related to business, such as sitting on the Board of Overseers for Whitman College, located in Walla Walla Washington at the time. For further information on Finch's civic life please listen to the podcast provided in this stop.

Managing the Finch house was a huge undertaking, the 1910 Federal U.S. Census showed Finch living at this house with his wife, Charlotte and three servants. John A. Finch died at his country home at Hayden Lake, Idaho on June 20th, 1915. Charlotte continued to live in the mansion until 1927.

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The Elk Drug Store in Spokane has changed many times over its 90 year history. Initially the Elk Drug Store opened by a partnership of Stone & Sutherland in Spokane on 415 Riverside Avenue between 1900-1902. Thanks to the MAC Archives prescription books for the Elk Drug Store still exist. If you look at the images for this stop you can see some of the old perscriptions dating back to 1900, fair warning doctors' handwriting has not gotten any easier to read over the last 113 years. As people moved on, Stone replaced Sutherland with a new partner, LeFevre, by 1905. By 1910 the Elk Drug Store had relocated to 424 Sprague Ave and W.C. Stone was the sole proprietor of the business. Between 1911 and 1915 the Elk Drug Store moved again, to W 331 Riverside Ave. In 1920 the Elk Drug Store did not move or change ownership, however the name had changed to The Elk Drug Company. By 1925 W.C. Stone moved on from his business and C.H. Colby was operating the Elk Drug Company.

The building you are looking at, located at 1931 W. Pacific Ave., housed the Elk Drug Store, a pharmacy and soda fountain that Eugene Whitehouse opened and operated in 1940. Eugene Whitehouse, who lived in an apartment in the back of the pharmacy. Bill Dahmen later operated the pharmacy and soda fountain.

The Elk Drug Store operated at this location for over 50 years when in the 1990s the interior of the building underwent major renovation to allow use as a restaurant / bar. In 1998 the Elk Public House took over as the restaurant operating in this space. The Elk Public House has been featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" television program in 2010 and continues to be a community favorite.

Although the Elk Drug Store has largely been a place of business, there was a sordid evening in 1983 when the drug store was held up at gunpoint. Listen to the podcast for this stop to hear this story.

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The James Clark Mansion is a private residence. Please observe the residents privacy by observing this historic property from the sidewalk.

The James Clark mansion is located at 2308 W 3rd Avenue and was built in 1896 and designed by Albert Held. The mansion was constructed in the "Georgian Revival," style. James Clark was the brother of Patrick Clark, whose mansion lies across Coeur d'Alene Park. James Clark was a miner throughout various mines in the West until moving to Idaho to become involved in mine management. James Clark became the superintendent of the quite prosperous War Eagle mine in British Columbia, Canada.

James Clark only lived in the mansion until August 8th 1901 when he died at 53 years of age from cancer of the stomach. His wife, Charlotte, remained living in the mansion until 1920.

This mansion is an example of a large house that has been converted to apartment units. In 1921 the house was converted for use as the Isabella Club, an affordable home for young ladies. Currently the New Horizon Care Center Inc. as the Isabella House, which helps women who are pregnant or have children and are struggling with alcohol and other addictions. Adaptive re-use of historic buildings in Browne's Addition is not a new phenomenon. Beginning in the middle of the 20th Century it became common for large mansions to be divided into apartments in order to fill the need for apartment living, which was close to the downtown core.

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The Reid House is a private residence, please respect the residents' privacy by remaining on the sidewalk as you examine this historic home.

What is known today as the Reid house was built in 1900, designed by Albert Held for Charles L. Hoffman. The Reid house is a great example of the Bungalow style in Spokane. Looking at the Reid house from the street the most notable feature is the shallow pitched gable roof. Notice the large front porch with prominent columns and exposed rafters. The roof flows from the peak over the dormers to the front porch of this one and a half story home. The house came complete with a carriage house when it was built. The one story carriage house is built in a similar style to the main structure and is located on the South West corner of the lot. The home was one of the architectural gems of Spokane, and was part of a neighborhood of the new elites wealthiest families including Amasa Campbell, John Finch, Harry R. Allen, Aaron Kuhn and the Reid family.

In 1902 Aaron Kuhn bought the home. Kuhn was born in Germany in 1857 and came to America in 1873. Kuhn was a genuine American pioneer success story. He traveled first to Salt Lake City where he established a retail store, then traveled to Elko and Tuscarora Nevada. After that he started in Pierce City, Idaho finally moving in 1883 to Colfax, Washington. In Colfax he began making investments in land and wheat particularly. Kuhn became one of the best-known wheat producers and Nelson Wayne Durham reported at the height of his prominence he "shipped a million and a half bushels in a single season." In 1900 a newspaper advertisement he proclaimed, "The Greatest True Bargain Spot in all of Colfax is at Aaron Kuhn's, Colfax's Greatest Store We Do Not Call Trash Bargains." In 1902 he sold all of his interests in wheat and in his store and moved to Spokane.

Once in Spokane Aaron Kuhn became greatly invested into banking and was a member of the board of many different banks around the inland northwest including the Davenport National Bank in Davenport, WA, the Garfield National Bank in Garfield, WA and the Bonner County National Bank in Sandpoint, ID. Aaron Kuhn was also held a controlling interest in the Traders National Bank in Spokane.

Aaron and Leah Kuhn lived in the house until 1914 when they sold it to Samuel and Edith Galland. Samuel and Edith Galland lived in the house for 7 years selling it to Charles Wickersham and his wife Vera. The Wickershams lived in the home while operating a shoe store downtown. Unfortunately the shoe business folded and the Wickershams were forced to sell the house to Dr. Peter Reid in 1923. Dr. Peter Reid was a surgeon who met his wife, Jean Louise Ballyne Reid, while serving as a surgeon during the first World War in London, England. Dr. Reid's son, Robert Reid also became a doctor and lived in the Reid house until he died in 1982. Although for a short time the Reid House served as a venue for events, the Reid House is unique in its history as it has been a single-family residence for over 90 years and continues to be a single-family residence to this day.

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As Spokane grew in the late 19th Century there were some needs of the community that were not being filled. The Episcopal Diocese of Spokane believed that one of these needs was an all girls school to teach the areas young women.

The newly appointed Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, Lemuel H Wells was riding a train in 1892 from Pullman to Spokane, when he met the philanthropists Mr. and Mrs. Felix Brunot. The Brunots lived in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and were taking a tour of the west, while on the train Wells convinced the couple to stop in Spokane on their tour. Mr. and Mrs. Brunot visited Spokane and gave the church $30,000 to build the school and an additional $22,000 for the land. The Episcopal Diocese of Spokane bought what was called St. Mary's Hall on the corner of West Pacific Avenue and South Hemlock Street. The original building was not big enough to match the plans of the Episcopal Diocese so they added onto the building to meet their needs. The school was named after its benefactor and was called Brunot Hall.

Brunot Hall was a massive school for girls. It was a combination school, meaning that while some students lived at the school, others lived in their nearby homes with their families. Brunot Hall had room for 50 boarding pupils and reminded parents that "The school is not designated to reform bad girls, but to educate and train the well-disposed in habits of refinement and courtesy, fitting them for cultured society." Private schools were quite rigorous places to study and quite an investment by the patents of the children.

In order to help parents decide where to send their children schools could be advertized in publications. This was the case for Brunot Hall who advertized in publications such as The Churchman in July of 1909 claiming, "Certificate admits to Smith, Wellesley, and other colleges. Advantages in Music, the very best. Fine Art Studio."

Bishop Wells understood his constituents and in response to farmers despair over the education of their daughters the church "kept down the charges for board and tuition to the very lowest mark possible." For the 1911-1912 school year the price for one year tuition and board was set at $450.00, using an inflation calculator this translates into roughly $10,500.00 in 2013.

Brunot Hall was a very rigorous course of study. In 1910 the subjects taught were Psychology, Ethics, English, German, French, Mathematics, History, Greek, Latin, Prose Composition, Science, Physical Culture, Bookkeeping and Stenography (shorthand writing). In 1910 Brunot Hall had 11 instructors, all women. Four of the 11 instructors had obtained a bachelor's degree from a university. The teachers came from across the country such as Vassar, Smith College, Stanford and Vanderbilt University. The church valued their instructors, Bishop Lemuel H. Wells claimed "We are fortunate in our staff of teachers, most of whom were women of ability who gave themselves to the work at a most nominal salary."

In the Brunot Hall Catalog for the 1907-1908 school year, Helen Campbell was listed among the pupils. Helen was the daughter of mining magnate Amasa Campbell and lived in the Campbell House nearby on West 1st Ave. in Browne's Addition. Through searching the alumni listings for Brunot Hall it appears that Helen was not among the alumni. Although Ms. Campbell attended the school for at least a year it appears that she never graduated.

In 1912 there was a fire in Brunot Hall. The damage from this fire required $3,000 and was repaired. In World War One the Girls' School was suspended, after the war the building was used as a dance studio, later to be converted in 1931 into a theatre for Spokane Little Theatre Group. World Wars impacted the use of the building again when in 1943, during World War Two, the building was remodeled into apartments for workers. Brunot Hall remained apartments from 1943-1975 when the building burnt down completely. The Pacific Terrace Apartments replaced Brunot Hall in 1975 and still stands today.

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Amasa B. Campbell was born in Salem, Ohio on April 6, 1845. Mr. Campbell went to school until he was 15 years old when he began working at the wool and trade commission. By 1867 Mr. Campbell took a job with the Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha until the line was completed. In 1871 he got his first mining experience in Utah. In 1887 Mr. Campbell came to Spokane and began his formal partnership with Mr. John A. Finch. The resulting firm, Finch & Campbell became synonymous with success in mining in the inland northwest.

Mr. Campbell and his business partner John Finch were ultimately successful in founding the Standard and Mammoth mines in the vicinity of Wallace, Idaho. These mines became so successful that by 1903, they sold the mines for $3,000,000 to a joint venture backed by the Rockefeller and the Gould families.

Not everything went smoothly for the mining company, in 1892 Mr. Campbell made the front page of the Lawrence Daily Journal when he was caught in the midst of a labor dispute between union and non-union miners. During the labor strike and violence, Mr. Campbell and Mr. Finch found it was advantageous to bring in non-union "scab" miners from northern California by rail.

The Campbell family lived on First St. in Browne's Addition, this was home for Mr. Amasa B. Campbell, his wife Grace and their daughter, Helen Amasa Campbell died on February 16th, 1912. After his passing it was said of him "He judged his fellowmen not by wealth but by individual worth, and true worth on the part of anyone could win his friendship and regard."

The Campbell House was built in 1898 and constructed for $30,000, although estimates for the house and the custom furnishings place the home at a total cost of $70,000. Renowned architect Kirtland K Cutter designed not only the architecture but the furnishings as well. One of the interior highlights of the home is the renowned gold reception room, which Cutter borrowed from the rococo French style. No house of this stature would be complete without a game room. The game room simply belonged to the men, who used the room to play cards and billiards, the game room was the 19th century equivalent of a modern man cave.

The house been restored from 1984-2001 by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, who aimed to restore it as best they could.  Unfortunately the original furniture was sold and the MAC has done its best to use photographs and accounts of the home to re-create the furnishings. In 1924 W.W. Powell (formerly Helen Campbell) donated the house to the Eastern Washington Historical Society, who is now known as the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. Guided tours of the house are available and are included in your entrance fee to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, inquire at the admissions desk.

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The story behind these whimsical bronze animals.

These beloved sculptures are the work of Tom Otterness. To make the museum more inviting, the Northwest museums of Arts and Culture (or the MAC) installed the sculpture series, The Return of the Four-Leggeds. These sculptures are an exhibition, permanently on display outside of the museum and in the amphitheater.

The statues are created with children in mind when asked Tom Otterness said, "Almost always I make them with kids in mind and the main kid I make them for is me."

Before entering the museum take a few moments to think about these statues. How many individual sculptures can you find for this work of art? What do the sculptures seem to be doing? Why do you think these sculptures are so active?

The Return of the Four-Leggeds is a collection of bronze sculptures was created by New York artist, Tom Otterness and was installed in 2003. Tom Otterness explained this work:

"The Animal people have come with a contract to buy back the world from the Two-Leggeds. The Weasel is negotiating while the Salmon prepare the way to return to the river. The Marmot is already in the amphitheater, munching on small change."

These statues present a fun an inviting look into social commentary as well as simply being pleasing to the eye.

There are 9 bronze statues in all, can you find all of them?

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Patrick "Patsy" Clark was an Irish immigrant who came to the United States in 1850.   Clark quickly left New York for the promise of mining opportunities in California.   Clark was wildly successful in his mining overseeing operations and worked in mines from California to Montana and seemingly everywhere in between before working at the Poorman and War Eagle mines in Idaho.   Clark became a well respected mine overseer and was even called upon for his expert opinion when mines were sold. In 1889 Clark proved his business sense by selling the War Eagle mine to a group of investors for nearly three quarters of a million dollars in cash.   When the new investors inspected their new mine, they found the ore was almost entirely exhausted and would have to begin searching for new reserves within the mine.

Clark settled in Spokane in 1889 when he commissioned renowned architect Kirtland Cutter to build him a home.   Clark told Cutter to spare no expense in the construction of his home.   Cutter finished the home in 1898, nine years after Clark commissioned the home.   The Clark Mansion stands as one of the most extravagant homes in the entire Northwest.

Kirtland Cutter spent years trying to create his vision of the Clark Mansion, even touring Europe to gain inspiration and craftsmen necessary to create this mansion.   Inside of the extravagant mansion each major room, such as the Foyer, Drawing Room and Dining Room, had a different architectural style.   In total the mansion has twenty-seven rooms excluding the attic and basement.   Furnishings inside of the mansion were custom built by artisans to Cutter's specifications.   The effect of the mixture of this one of a kind architecture and furnishings produced one of the most stunning homes in what became known as the age of Extravagance in Spokane.

The Clark Mansion has had a variety of uses since Patrick and his wife Mary Clark died in 1916 and 1926. For roughly the first fifty years after the Clarks passed on the Mansion was used as a private residence. The Mansion was then converted into the Francis Lester Inn, then into Patsy Clarks' Restaurant from 1982-2001. Today the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Mansion are used by the law firm of Eymann Allison Hunter Jones P.S., while the ground floor can be rented out for special events such as weddings.

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This stop is brought to you by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture is the premier museum of the Inland North West. The organization began as the Spokane Historical Society in 1916. In 1918 the society changed their name to the Eastern Washington State Historical Society.   The most notable donation to this society was when Helen Campbell donated her childhood home in 1924. The House became the first museum, hosting a rock and mineral display, native objects, and historic items from pioneer days.

In 1960 a new building, the Cheney Cowles Memorial Museum was dedicated and opened to the public, creating a larger exhibition hall for the Eastern Washington Historical Society.   

In 2001 the museum expanded again renovating the Cheney Cowles building and built a new addition. The Eastern Washington Historical Society changed their name at this time to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. It was also at this time that the museum became a Smithsonian Institute Affiliate organization.

The new expansion allowed for more exhibit space in a new building, as well as meeting rooms for events. The Museum also allowed for an archival reading room in the Cheney Cowles museum and an interior auditorium and an amphitheater for presentations on nice days. These buildings and renovations allow the museum to serve a larger audience.

The MAC collects and exhibits Inland North West historical artifacts, American Indian objects and regional art. The MAC provides a rotating series of exhibits, activities and educational events. The MAC also operates The Joel E. Ferris Research Library and Archives to house all of its collections. The MAC is one of the keystones of cultural activity in Spokane, you can help support the MAC by becoming a member at a variety of different levels. Please go inside and inquire about how you can help.

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Leydford B. Whitten (commonly refered to as L.B. Whitten) moved from Virginia to Spokane County in 1880 after having initially moved west to The Dalles, Oregon. L.B. Whitten was a curious man who was trained as a master carpenter before leaving Virginia but was always pursuing education and business. In 1881 he built a wood frame building which served as a pharmacy until 1888. By 1887 L.B. Whitten called himself Dr. L.B. Whitten and printed bills to that effect, although no proof of this degree has been found. In 1890 the Whitten Block was built as it stands today. The Whitten Block was one of the first buildings constructed after the great Spokane fire of 1889. It was home to many prominent members of society people who weren't as fast to rebuild, such as Louis Davenport. L.B. Whitten continued to buy downtown and farm real estate and became very well known in real estate circles throughout Spokane.

In 1888 L.B. Whitten married Georgia J. Ballou, who was one of Spokane's earliest female physicians. Georgia J. Ballou had earned a degree in medicine from the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia. Georgia and L.B. had four children, three of which survived to adulthood. Paul, the eldest son, helped L.B. run his real estate business. By 1903, Georgia and L.B. had divorced, granting Georgia ownership over the Whitten Block. Georgia managed the apartments until she died in 1950.

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In the early 1900s life was changing. As cities grew, real estate close to the city centers was becoming sparse and expensive. Public transpiration options in many cities, such as Spokane, was not readily available which made living outside of the city a problem. Across the nation, people began living full time in apartment buildings. These buildings offered affordable living in urban hubs, where real estate was considerably more expensive. Apartment dwellers were generally bachelors, widows or small families. The apartment craze struck Spokane. Early apartments were built on the premise and approach of building a large home, which was divided into units. This was the approach taken in the Amman apartments located just down Riverside Avenue at 1516. This approach was abandoned since it did not provide enough units. The approach that was adopted was that of building an apartment to look and feel like a luxury hotel. This was the approach used at the San Marco.

The San Marco building, built in 1904 is located on a triangular lot. Albert Held used a V shape design in this triangular structure, enclosing an open courtyard with the two apartment wings. The San Marco was designed with the upper echelon of Spokane's residence in mind, and provided the architectural styling and amenities, such as a large lobby, the elite expected. The San Marco is a great example of historic restoration and is still in use as an apartment building today.

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The hotel located on the 1100 block of W. 1st Avenue has changed hands many times from when it was built in 1911. In 1911 the Single Residence Occupancy hotel, or SRO, was named the Willard Hotel. In 1921 the building changed hands and became the Atlantic Hotel. By 1941 the building was known as the Milner Hotel. In 1948 the Milner hotel became the Earle Hotel, and in 1956 the structure changed hands again to become the current Otis Hotel. Throughout the tumultuous initial semicentury, this hotel remained true to its SRO roots.

SRO hotels were very important to Spokane's economic development, providing workers with affordable housing and private lodgings. These hotels typically offered tenants a room to sleep in, usually with a closet and occasionally a sink. Tenants would share a communal restroom for the floor of residents. These hotels were innovative since they had only one tenant per room, which was common in luxury hotels of the time, however it was rare for working class hotels. These hotels, and the Otis is no exception, typically had retail space on the ground floors which helped them to maintain profitability during times of lean tenants.

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Judge John Blinkley built the Montvale Block in 1899. The Montvale Block was as a Single Resident Occupancy hotel, which meant that much like a hotel each tenant had their own room as a measure of privacy. The Single Resident Occupancy or SRO system was a common form of living for the many working class laborers in Spokane. The rent for these rooms was between $1-2 per day or $5 per week at the turn of the 20th Century. Originally the Montvale housed 30 tenants on the second floor and 30 tenants on the third floor. The Montvale is the oldest standing hotel in Spokane today.

The story of the Montvale is also the story of William J. Kilmer. Kilmer began as a hardware clerk in 1899 and became vice president and manager of the firm he was working for in 1909. In 1910 Kilmer bought Union Hardware Company with G.A. Brown, the two later sold the store in 1913. In 1913 Kilmer established Kilmer Hardware Store in the Montvale Block. Kilmer Hardware expanded over time to take over more of the ground floor retail space in the building. Kilmer Hardware later became Kimer & Sons Hardware Co. and remained as the ground floor tenant of the Montvale block from 1913 to 1966. In 1937 William Kilmer bought the Montvale from his longtime friend John Blinkley.

In the 1970s the Montvale Block became used as a youth hostel to provide affordable housing to the men and women who came to visit Expo '74. After Expo the Montvale Block ceased to operate as a hotel and the upper two floors were vacant. In 2005 after much refurbishment, the current Montvale Hotel, Catacombs pub and Scout opened.

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The Knickerbocker is a luxury apartment complex. It was built in 1911 with mine owners and other wealthy businessmen in mind. Graham E. Dennis, who built the building, lived in one of the apartments until he sold the Knickerbocker in 1924 to Malcolm McInness in return for wheat land in Whitman County.

The Knickerbocker was designed by Albert Held, a prominent architect at that time. The Knickerbocker was Held's last apartment building that he designed after the Amman and San Marco in 1904 and the Breslin in 1910. The Knickerbocker was his most elaborate apartment. The building cost $200,000.00 to build in 1911, roughly $4.5 million today.

The Knickerbocker is very much an Albert Held apartment building, focusing on the terra cotta styling of the exterior that contrasts with the brick exterior of the building. The portico complete with columns is a highlight of many Held apartments. Held also included bay windows on the Knickerbocker, a unique feature not found on any of his other apartments. The Knickerbocker was built in a 'H' design which provided the building a courtyard in the rear empty space of the H, which was enclosed with a brick wall.

The interior of the Knickerbocker was as ornate as the exterior, featuring hardwood floors, large hallways and specially made light fixtures. The reception room had mahogany furniture and trim, along with a cut glass chandelier. In the basement there was a billiards table, library and buffet for the tenants and their guests.

The Knickerbocker is still an apartment complex, renting rooms to Spokane residents. The Knickerbocker was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

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Prominent architect Albert Held designed the Amman Apartment building. Albert Held was raised in Minnesota, where he attended the University of Minnesota's Architecture program. Albert Held initially pursued a career after graduation, and moved to Spokane in the wake of the great fire of 1889, sensing opportunity for a young architect. Albert Held became one of Spokane's prominent architects in the early 20th century, designing a wide range of buildings from the Marshall Wells Warehouse, to luxury apartments such as the Knickerbocker. Albert Held also became a prominent member of society and was appointed to the post of Park Commissioner. Since Albert Held was here after the fire, many of his structures put an emphasis on being 'fire proof' so that the city would not burn down twice. One way to create fire proofing at this time was to use reinforced brick construction. Albert Held's buildings used many different structural styles, one of the most important advancements to buildings at this time was construction using reinforced concrete supports with a brick exterior. Many of Albert Held's buildings are still standing and, including the Amman Apartments, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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In 1909 the Minnesota hardware company, Marshall Wells, hired the Minnesota native and Spokane resident Albert Held to design their Spokane warehouse. This building was designed as a warehouse at a time in which all goods were traveled by rail to a central location, Spokane, and then they would be traveled by stagecoach to outlying communities, which were not served by rail. This made central warehouses central to expanding businesses to the outlying, especially western, communities.

The Warehouse was initially designed as the main large structure, and the western annex. Later in 1946, the eastern annex was added and in 1973 the Pine street wing was added. These additions have been modified over the years to suit the needs of the company who operated the warehouse, for instance the old loading bays were modified to conform with the standard sizes of commercial trucks.

The warehouse was sold to the Jensen-Byrd Company in 1958, in which Jensen-Byrd bought Marshall Wells Hardware Co.'s western holdings. This was an easy transition since Jensen-Byrd was also a hardware company. This acquisition yielded not only the warehouse on Main Street, but also various other retail locations throughout the Pacific North West.

The Marshall Wells warehouse is iconic of warehouses in Spokane after the Spokane fire of 1889. The Marshall Wells warehouse was significantly larger than anything around it when it was completed, in 1911 a photo was taken from the roof, which gave the viewer a clear sight to the Schade Brewery. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, warehouses relied heavily on railroads, which is why many of them were built very near the railroad, which ran only about a quarter of a mile south of the Warehouse. Although other warehouses from this period do exist, the Marshall Wells warehouse is an example of one of the largest warehouses of this style still standing and an excellent reminder of Spokane's railroad economy in the early 20th Century.

This warehouse is a standing chronicle of the transportation and storage of goods in Spokane. The warehouse, as it has been modified over the years, can help us to understand the changes to the transportation industry in Spokane and how warehouses adapted to these challenges.

In 2012 the latest owner of the Jensen-Byrd, Washington State University, declared their intent to raze the historic structure to build a student apartment block.

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"Dutch" Jake Goetz and his partner Harry Baer embodied the gold rush and pioneer attitude. After receiving two hundred thousand dollars in 1888 for their role in discovering the Bunker Hill mine, Dutch and Baer moved to Spokane Falls. There the partners constructed a hotel saloon called the Frankfurt Project, named after Goetz's German birthplace. The Saloon was completed in 1888 and burnt down in the great Spokane fire of 1889. After the fire, the Frankfurt Block was included in a list published in the New York Times among the more important buildings lost in the Spokane fire.

Dutch and Baer were not deterred by the fire, in fact after their establishment had burned, they erected a large tent to serve as their temporary housing while they maintained operations and raised money. In 1894 the Coeur d'Alene hotel was built.

The Coeur d'Alene Hotel was described as the greatest variety, greatest extravagance, and greatest overall place in Spokane by Jim Wardner. Jim Wardner had a part in the Bunker Hill mine, was the namesake of Wardner, ID and traveled extensively between Arizona, California, Utah, Wisconnsin and Washington following the mining booms. Wardner marveled at the use of an electronic Keno game, that kept the game square, and other gambling activities such as Roulette and Stud Poker. Aside from gambling the Coeur d'Alene Saloon had multiple bars, lunch counters and lodging for its guests. The Hotel also was home to a theatre, a dance hall, Turkish bath and the finest whiskey. Jim Wardner explained:

"A person can get anything he wants in this place of business - drink, bath, meal, bed, shave, go to the theater, dance hall or gambling room."

The building was heated by steam and lit by gas and electricity. Although Dutch is admittedly running a casino, his moral standards are praised by Jim Wardner, who explains that Jake encourages moderation by his guests in all of his many amenities. Goetz is also described as a philanthropist as it was said at the Coeur d'Alene Hotel that even the homeless could come in for a meal, rest and a bath at no charge. Goetz was described as a fair employer as well, paying his employees an average of four dollars per day while spending $576 per day on his combined staff salary. It is no doubt that the Coeur d'Alene Hotel was a busy and exciting place near the turn of the century.

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Spokane was a town of working men--and a town of breweries when the Schade Brewery was built in 1903. Bernhardt Schade, who owned the building, was brew master at the locally-owned and operated New York Brewing Company. The brewery was designed by Lewis Stritesky to replicate a European brewery. Schade Brewing company was originally built to produce between 35,000 and 40,000 barrels of beer per year, enough to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool twice over. In 1907 the Schade Brewery expanded their capacity to 100,000 barrels per year and built a bottling plant SE of their main building. During this time Spokane was a working mans town flush with mine workers. These workers were the embodiment of the 'work hard, play hard' and spent much of their time above ground in one of Spokane's many beer halls to relax.

On June 16th 1916 Spokane enacted Prohibition of alcohol. The Shade Brewery had been vehemently opposed to the act and began producing soda and non-alcoholic beer or "near beer," which at 0.5% alcohol by volume was not nearly as popular as beer. In 1921, Bernhardt Schade succumbed to his illness and the Brewery died along with him.

During the depression years the Brewery sat empty, eventually becoming vagrant housing, known as "Hotel de Gink." In 1933 M. Rosauer, of Golden Age Breweries Inc., bought the Schade Brewery for the purpose of brewing. The brewery had fallen into disrepair during the depression, and Golden Age restored and upgraded the brewery so that it could produce up to 200,000 barrels of beer per year, doubling the previous capacity. In 1948 the operations were sold to Bohemian Brewing company, who later sold it to Atlantic Brewing company.

By 1959 the Schade Brewery was sold to Inland Metal, who used the building as a warehouse until 1977. Since then the Brewery has had a variety of tenants since Inland Metals, including antique stores, public marketplace, credit unions, carpet stores and eateries.

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