Minnehaha Health Spa and Resort

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When Edgar J. Webster came to Spokane in 1883 he planned to practice law. He built his summer home on the outskirts of the growing city of Spokane in a place called Minnehaha. The stone building still stands in the park today. While rumors about the house, abound in fact, it was once a Health Spa and Resort.

In the 1893, the Spokane Daily Chronicle noted that the "Athletic Club Grounds...are to be laid out in fine shape at Minnehaha Park." The amenities included pavilions, refreshment booths, athletic club rooms, and ground. There were swings and croquet for children and pleasure boats for older people. The newspaper boasted, "the park is strictly a temperance resort and no intoxicating liquors or objectionable characters all be tolerated on the grounds."

A 1895 article described, "a picturesque prize fight at Minnehaha park." A boxing match was held at Minnehaha. "The men were matched a week ago and the tip was given they would meet up on the turf near Minnehaha park yesterday afternoon." It was Dick Case "the Yakima Kid" versus Mark Freeman, "the Spokane pugilist," and Yakima won the day.

Finally a sad article appeared in the Spokane Daily Chronicle with the headline, "Dance ends in Blaze, Old Minnehaha Inn is now a heap of ash." The famous resort, the Minnehaha Inn, was lost in a fire on December 1, 1899.