Hyde Building and Annex

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Until the late 1900's, when it was demolished, this site housed the architecturally interesting Hyde Building and Annex. The six-story Hyde Building was constructed in 1890 to house office spaces and the U.S. District Court. It replaced an older building that was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1889. The Romanesque-inspired Hyde is constructed of red brick with granite, sandstone, and terra cotta trim. The building featured a parapet that said "Hyde."

The seven-story Hyde Annex occupied a tight space that was formerly used as an alley way. The Annex was constructed because the Hyde building needed additional room. Another fire destroyed the site in 1958. Everyone in the building made it out thanks to an elevator operator who kept his machine working until everyone was safe.

The Hyde family was a prominent family in early Spokane. Involved in real estate and civic activities, the brothers Samuel C. Hyde and Eugene B. Hyde especially left a mark on the city. Samuel C. Hyde arrived in Spokane early in l879. E. B. Hyde was the City Marshall of Spokane, Chief of Police, Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department and a state Senator. During the economic depression in 1893, he suffered grave financial losses. Several prominent buildings in Spokane during the 1880s were financed by E. B. Hyde and he was able to recover his wealth.

The architect for the structure in front of you was William J. Carpenter. Carpenter spent only three years in Spokane, 1888-1891, but made his mark on the city nonetheless. The seven-story Annex that was built in 1908, was designed by Albert Held. Held arrived in Spokane and quickly found work with the firm Herman Preusse. Held designed many other Spokane buildings, including the Holly-Mason Building, the Home Telephone and Telegraph Building, Knickerbockers Apartments, Breslin Apartments and the James Clark mansion.

From 1890 to 1915, a saloon could be found on almost every corner of the raucous city. Hyde's saloon was one of 90 in Spokane. By 1916, laws against drinking were enforced nationwide and Spokane's spirited night life was hit hard. Soon thereafter, the saloons in the Hyde Building were removed and remodeled.