Timeline of Spokane, Washington facts for kids

This is a timeline showing important events in the history of Spokane, a city in Washington, USA. It's like a quick look at how Spokane grew and changed over the years!

Spokane's Early Days: The 1800s

• 1874: The Spokane Falls settlement was started in what was then the Washington Territory. A person named James N. Glover helped create it.
• 1879: The Spokane Times newspaper began printing.
• 1880: About 350 people lived in Spokane.
• 1881: Spokane Falls officially became a town, and then a city, on November 29.
• 1882: Spokane became the main city for Spokane County.
• 1883:
  • The Northern Pacific Railway train service started.
  • Central School opened its doors.
• 1884: The YMCA, a community organization, was created.
• 1887:
  • Sacred Heart Hospital opened to help people who were sick or hurt.
  • Gonzaga College, a school, was started by Jesuits.
• 1889:
  • August 4–6: A huge event called The Great Fire happened, burning down many buildings.
  • The Union Pacific Railroad train service began.
  • The town became part of the new State of Washington.
• 1890:
  • The town of Spokane Falls was renamed "Spokane."
  • The Casino Opera House opened around this time.
  • Spokane's population grew to 19,922 people.
• 1891:
  • Spokane High School and Holy Names Academy were built.
  • The Amtrak inter-city rail station opened for train travel.
• 1892: The Great Northern Railway was built.
• 1893: September 19: Franz Ferdinand of Austria visited Spokane without anyone knowing who he was.
• 1894: The The Spokesman-Review newspaper began publishing.
• 1895:
  • The Spokane County Courthouse building was completed.
  • The U.S. military Fort George Wright was set up near the town.
• 1896: Deaconess Hospital was established.
• 1897: The Chamber of Commerce and the Spokane Stock Exchange were created to help businesses.
• 1900: Spokane's population reached 36,848 people.

Spokane in the 1900s

• 1904:
  • The Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad began running (it stopped in 1929).
  • Manito Park and Botanical Gardens was created, offering beautiful green spaces.
• 1905:
  • The Spokane Public Library building opened.
  • The Woman's Club was formed.
• 1908: The Portland-Spokane railway started operating.
• 1909: A Federal building was constructed.
• 1910:
  • The city adopted a new way of governing called the commission form.
  • Spokane's population grew to 104,402 people.
• 1914:
  • Whitworth College was active.
  • Davenport Hotel opened for business.
  • The Clemmer Theater was built.
• 1915: The Spokane Mountaineers club was formed.
• 1916:
  • The Eastern Washington State Historical Society was established.
  • The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture was established as the Cheney Cowles Museum.
• 1919: A local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded.
• 1921: A new Civic building opened.
• 1925: October: The National Indian Congress was held in Spokane.
• 1929:
  • The Spokane Daily Times began publishing.
  • The Cambern Dutch Shop Windmill was built.
• 1931: The Fox Theater, an Art Deco movie theater, opened.
• 1932: The Park Inn opened.
• 1933: Construction began on the Grand Coulee Dam near Spokane.
• 1935: The unique Benewah Milk Bottle building was constructed.
• 1938: The Spokane Art Center opened.
• 1939: Doyle's Ice Cream Parlor opened.
• 1942: The U.S. military Fairchild Air Force Base began operating near Spokane.
• 1946:
  • The Spokane municipal airport became active.
  • Yoke's Fresh Market opened for business.
• 1947: The Spokane Civic Theatre was officially created.
• 1954:
  • The Spokane Coliseum opened.
  • The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist was built.
• 1955: NorthTown Mall opened for shopping.
• 1960:
  • The city adopted a new mayor-council-manager form of government.
  • Spokane's population reached 181,608 people.
• 1963:
  • Spokane Community College was established.
  • A protest took place during the Civil Rights Movement.
• 1967: Spokane Falls Community College opened.
• 1974:
  • The Spokane Convention Center was built.
  • The Pavilion Opera House and River Park Square shopping center opened.
  • Expo '74, a world's fair, was held in Spokane.
• 1977: The Lilac Bloomsday Run, a popular race, began.
• 1978:
  • The Spokane Fire Station Museum was established.
  • Riverfront Park was created.
• 1981:
  • The Spokane River Centennial Trail was built.
  • The Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission was created.
• 1990: Spokane Hoopfest, a large basketball tournament, began.
• 1995:
  • The Community Health Association of Spokane became active.
  • The Spokane Arena opened.
• 1996: The city's website went online around this time.
• 1997:
  • Spokane Preservation Advocates was organized.
  • Spokane Valley Mall opened for business near the city.
• 1999: The Spokane Washington Temple opened.

Spokane in the 2000s

• 2003: James E. West became Spokane's 43rd mayor.
• 2005:
  • Cathy McMorris Rodgers became the U.S. representative for Washington's 5th congressional district.
  • The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum was established.
• 2007: Spokane hosted the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
• 2010:
  • Spokane's population reached 208,916 people.
  • Spokane hosted the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships again.
• 2012: David Condon became the 46th mayor of Spokane.
• 2020:
  • Spokane's population grew to 228,989 people.
  • Nadine Woodward became the 47th Mayor of Spokane.
  • Construction began on the Spokane Sportsplex, owned by the Spokane Public Facilities District.
  • Construction began on the City Line.