Spokane History
Spokane was first inhabited by hunters and gatherers, with human remains dating back 8,000 to 13,000 years ago in the region. The Spokane Tribe, who occupied this area, are believed to be direct descendants of these hunter-gatherers, or decedents of people from the Great Plains region. The name Spokane means “sun people” in Salishan.
The first two white visitors to the region were sent by the Northwest Fur Company in the early 19th century to search for fur in the region west of the Rocky Mountains. Both British and American fur trading companies were interested in setting up posts in the Inland Northwest in the early 1800s. A fur trading post was established on the Spokane River, and was originally ran by the British North West Company (later Hudson’s Bay Company). There were major operations of trade between 1810 and 1826, however when the location of the trading post was moved, significance decreased.
There were others who came to the area to set up medical or religious missions. The establishment of the Washington Territory came about in 1851, and in 1853 the governor, Isaac Stevens, attempted to make a treaty with Chief Garry (of Spokane). However, war between settlers and a combination of native tribes raged on until 1858, when a series of victories from the settlers caused a cease in the fighting. Many more settlers began to enter the region after this time period.
Spokane underwent significant transformation when the Northern Pacific Railroad was introduced in 1881. In 1883, gold was discovered in Coeur d’Alene, creating another economic boom to the region. The establishment of these things allowed Spokane to become a center for commerce in the 1880s. Thankfully, due to their economic growth, Spokane was able to rebuild immediately following the Great Fire in 1889. Many of the beautiful buildings that we see in downtown Spokane today were rebuilt with precision and care in this time period following the fire.
From 1880 to 1909, Spokane grew from a population of 300 to 100,000. At the time, it was the largest city west of Minneapolis, and the city with the largest amount of water power between Seattle and Niagara. Spokane also had very diverse and beautiful architecture.
Today, over 50% of Spokane’s downtown is considered historic. The City of Spokane also has 18 registered historical districts, the most in the state of Washington.