The Great Fire of 1889 burned 32 city blocks in Spokane, causing an estimated $10 million in damage. Despite the devastation, the fire launched an economic boom that saw the construction of 150 buildings within the next year.
The Bodie Block, renamed the 1889 building in 1974, is the oldest building still standing from the construction boom after the 1889 fire. It was a "single room occupancy" residence that housed railroad workers, miners, lumberjacks and agricultural workers.
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Rumors fly
August 1889
Week after week following the big fire, the question of who was to blame continued to be a major topic of conversation. Initially, Rolla Jones, the city’s first superintendent of water works, was blamed for the fire. Rumors spread that he’d gone fishing and left an unqualified person in charge of the pump house. Another rumor claimed he left town with the only key to the pump house. Ten days later, the city council officially reported that Jones was not to blame; it was a burst hose.
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The Age of Elegance
1890
With significant destruction comes a chance to start over. Spokane's proximity to the rich mines of the Silver Valley made the fortune of many residents. The time from the 1889 fire to 1910 is now referred to as Spokane's “Age of Elegance,” drawing eminent architects like Kirtland Cutter to town. The “Patsy” Clark house, the Campbell house and the Davenport Hotel are just of few of Spokane’s finest structures that were built during this period.
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The Germond Block
1890
The Germond Block, built in 1890, is another one of the remaining buildings from the post-fire building craze. Located at located at 816 W. Sprague Ave., it served as Spokane City Hall for two years.
For more information visit: Germond Block gets place in history.
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The Whitten Block
1890
The Whitten Block, located at 1 N. Post, was built in 1890 and still stands today. Leydford B. (L.B.) Whitten came to Spokane from Virginia in 1880 in pursuit of education and business. He called himself a doctor and printed bills that claimed such a title, but no degree was ever found.
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The Bennett Block
1890
The Bennett Block, located at 206 N. Howard, was built in 1890 and was one of the first historical renovations for retail space in the 1970s.
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The Review Building
1890
The current and long-time home of The Spokesman-Review was erected in 1891. Its unique shape and structure were created by architect Chauncey B. Seaton. At one time it housed a hotel on the higher floors and the Spokane Daily Chronicle.
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Northwest Industrial Exposition
October 1890
Despite the devastation 14 months before, Spokane came together in October 1890 to host a month-long Northwest Industrial Exposition. Over the next two years, the city’s population grew almost 50 percent, from 19,222 to 28,334.
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The Panic of 1893
1893
When the Panic of 1893 hit Spokane, seven of Spokane's 10 banks collapsed.
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The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot
April 1894
The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot, the current home of Amtrak, has seen some significant events in Spokane history. Unemployed workers protested President Grover Cleveland and his policies and later that same week, Jacob Coxey, a leader among the protesters, and 65 others locked themselves inside boxcars begging for food and water. This outcry won the sympathy of 3,000 other workers.
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The Campbell House
1898
Now an historic landmark located at 2316 W. First Ave., the Campbell House was the home of Amasa Campbell, who made his fortune in mining. Another masterpiece of Kirtland Cutter, the Campbell House has 19 rooms and nine fireplaces. Amasa Campbell died in 1912 and the house became a museum in 1925 courtesy of Helen Campbell and the Eastern Washington State Historical Society.
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The Davenport Hotel
1914
Completed in 1914, The Davenport Hotel featured modern technology including air conditioning and electrical signage, as well as the architecture of Spain, Italy, France and Elizabethan styles. It was designed to accommodate world travelers and was the significant work of Louis Davenport and his architect Kirtland Cutter.
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The Crescent Building
1917
The Crescent department store, originally Spokane Dry Goods, opened the day after the catastrophic fire of Aug. 5, 1889, and sold its entire inventory in one day. The Crescent moved and underwent construction from 1917 to 1919. Located at 707 W. Main, it now houses small stores and restaurants.
For more information visit: Then and Now: The Crescent.