50 years ago in Expo history: The Pavilion was taking its now-famous shape, a newly published photo showed

Expo ’74’s United States Pavilion had assumed its now-iconic shape, with the installation of its “ring of steel, trailing canopy support wires,” as illustrated in a photo in The Spokesman-Review.

It gave the pavilion a “Maypole-like appearance,” the photo caption said.

In other Expo news, a long-running impasse between tribal leaders and Expo officials was finally resolved, according to Sonny Tuttle, a spokesman for Northwest Indian Enterprises.

“It means there will be Indian presentation at Expo, made by Indians, that will be administered totally by Indians,” Tuttle said.

An allocation of $200,000 was made for site preparation and to pay for several Indian groups to perform.

From 100 years ago: Spokane University’s gymnasium burned to the ground, destroying the building and all of its contents, “excepting one basketball.”

The night before, Spokane University’s basketball team had defeated the Lewiston State Normal School’s team. The fire broke out at 6 the next morning, from an unknown cause.

No more home games had been scheduled, but the gym was to be the site of the annual Inland Empire High School Basketball Tournament later in the month. The tournament would probably have to be canceled.

Spokane University was located in the Spokane Valley near Ninth Avenue and Herald Street, which explains why there is a University Road and a University High School in the valley today.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1587: Mary, Queen of Scots, is beheaded after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I.