50 years ago in Expo history: Davenport Hotel renovates hundreds of rooms to prepare for influx of guests

One of Spokane’s best known landmarks, the Davenport Hotel, was being refurbished in advance of Expo ’74.

A total of 335 of the Davenport’s 403 rooms had been completely redecorated in anticipation of a huge influx of guests.

Crystal chandeliers had been polished and repaired. Gold leaf had been cleaned and shined. Intricately carved woodwork had been “tediously cleaned and highlighted.”

The grand old hotel would, the Spokane Daily Chronicle wrote, achieve “a fame equal to that it had in the days of Louis Davenport.” The manager said the overall goal was to “restore the charm.”

“We hope we’ll be offering the old, traditional, first-class treatment,” the manager said.

From 100 years ago: Lewis and Clark High School principal Henry M. Hart banned most student dances, a move that was met with “veiled defiance” from some students.

Hart’s ruling was intended to limit dances only to those few sponsored by the PTA. Concerns had been raised about too many dances for high-schoolers.

However, one club, called the Harlequin Dancing Club, was “openly” going forward with plans to hold a dance in defiance of the ruling.

“We can easily get around that,” one student said.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1929: U.S. President Calvin Coolidge establishes Grand Teton National Park.

1985: Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” wins Grammy at the 27th annual awards.