History of Spokane
The Spokane Falls area was purchased by James N. Glover for $1600 in 1873. In 1877 soldiers fighting agains the Nez Perce Indians spent the winter in the area. Their presense encouraged population growth in Spokane by providing safety for families
The Nothern Pacific Railroad company came to town in 1881 and this caused a rapid growth in the population. It was during this time that what was a small settlement became a city. In 1886 Spokane became the county seat after defeating the town of Cheney in elections.
The downtown was destroyed by fire in 1889. The fire may have been stopped but for technical problems at the pump station which made for no water pressure in the city at the time of the fire. The fire eventually went out on its own after consuming 27 blocks of Spokane's downtown area.
Despite the devastation caused by the fire, Spokane grew larger. The Great Northern railroad reached Spokane in 1892 and built a rail yard which turned Spokane into the hub for area transportation. The clocktower found in Riverfront Park was part of the depot and is the only part which remains intact today.
While the damage caused by the fire was a devastating blow, Spokane continued to grow. Just three years after the fire, in 1892, the Great Northern railroad reached Spokane and built a rail yard that made Spokane a transportation hub for the area. The first rail yard, built by James J. Hill, was completed in 1902. The clocktower currently in Riverfront Park was built as part of the depot and is one of the biggest in the northwest, with each side measuring 9 feet (2.7 m) across. The clocktower is the only part of the depot that remains to this day.
The World's Fair of 1974 was held in Spokane making it the smallest city to ever host the Fair (at that time). The event forever changed the downtown area of Spokane doing away with a century of railroad industry.
Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane remains home to many of the original World's Fair structures including the U.S. Pavilion (now an Imax theater), a Looff carousel, the clock tower and the Washington State Pavilion (now a performing arts center).