What to See in Spokane - Top Sights and Attractions

Park in Spokane, Washington. Riverfront Park, branded as Riverfront Spokane, is a public urban park in downtown Spokane, Washington that is owned and operated by the Spokane Parks & Recreation Department. The 100-acre park is situated along the Spokane River and encompasses the Upper Spokane Falls, which is the second largest urban waterfall in the United States.

The site of the park and the surrounding falls were a Native American gathering place, which had a number of fishing camps near the base of the falls. The first American settlers came in 1871, establishing a claim and building a sawmill near the falls that would later be purchased by James N. Glover, who was aware of the water power potential of the falls and that the Northern Pacific Railroad Company had received a government charter to build a main line through the area. By the late 19th century, much of the area along the Spokane Falls had become industrialized with sawmills and flour mills, utilizing the fast-moving Spokane River and Spokane Falls for its hydropower. Flumes and waterwheels were used to mechanically drive sawmills and flour mills located along the river. To satisfy the growing demand for electricity and modernize the city, the Washington Water Power company constructed a timber dam (replaced in 1974) on the river at the Lower Falls in 1890 and another dam on the Upper Falls in 1922. These operating hydroelectric facilities on the falls from the park's industrial past are among the sights of interest in Riverfront Park.

Located on the site of a former railyard, the park site's potential as a showcase for the Spokane Falls was recognized as early as 1908, but it would be another 64 years before those visions could be realized. Downtown Spokane, including what is now Riverfront Park was a hub for passenger and freight rail transport and remained that way for several decades. In 1972, the active railyards were removed, and the area around the Spokane Falls reclaimed, when construction commenced on an urban renewal project that built a fairground to host the upcoming environmentally-themed Expo '74 World's fair. Post-fair plans for the site which hosted the fair from May 4 to November 3, 1974, called for the preservation of the site as a legacy of Expo '74 and converting it into an urban park after the fair's conclusion. After several years of work to convert the site, Riverfront Park was officially opened in 1978. Several of its most recognizable buildings such as the U.S. Pavilion, Spokane Convention Center, and First Interstate Center for the Arts remain from Expo '74 as legacy pieces. The park is also home to historic features such as the Great Northern clock tower and Looff Carrousel; other sites of interest near the park include the River Park Square mall, Mobius Science Center, and The Podium sportplex. The park sees over three million visitors annually and has a Spokane Visitor Information Center at 620 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard with maps and information on local attractions, history, and tours.^[3]

Episcopal church in Spokane, Washington. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane, Washington, is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. Three Spokane parishes, All Saints Cathedral, St. Peter's, and St. James, merged on October 20, 1929, to form the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Construction began on the present cathedral four years previous in 1925 and was structurally completed in less than a generation under the supervision of founding architect Harold C. Whitehouse of the Spokane firm of Whitehouse & Price. It is located in the Rockwood neighborhood.

Built entirely of cut stone, the carvings, and the figures in stained glass, include symbols of many faiths. Especially notable are carvings by Ole Sunde of Seattle and by Arcangelo Cascieri and Adio diBaccari of Boston, Mass. The stained glass windows, in classic Gothic style, are the work of the Charles J. Connick firm, and since its closure of the work of Willet Hauser Architectural Glass.

The Cathedral Organ, with 4,039 pipes, designed, built and installed in 1957 by the Aeolian-Skinner Company (Opus 1343) to interpret the whole range of organ literature and renovated in 2000 by Marceau & Associates, is so skillfully voiced that even the smallest pipes can be heard in every corner of the building. Recitals are scheduled throughout the year.

Bishop Cross Tower, named to honor the cathedral's founder, houses a 49-bell carillon, one of only a handful in the Northwest, cast and installed by the English firm of John Taylor & Sons. Carillon concerts are played at Sunday services, at times of religious and civic festivals, and other times as announced. The carillon is best heard from outside on the Cathedral Close (nearby grounds).

The first Dean of the cathedral was Richard Coombs, who relocated to Spokane in 1956 from Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Salinas, California.

The cathedral is open Monday through Friday, 9am-4pm. Guided tours are often available on Fridays, 11am-2pm. On Sundays, guided tours usually are available immediately after the last morning worship service. The tour usually lasts around 45 minutes.

The elevation at street level is approximately 2,160 feet (660 m) above sea level. Grand Boulevard, which passes diagonally in front of the cathedral as seen in the image above, begins its steep descent into Downtown Spokane directly in front of the cathedral. Its location at the crest of a hill that rises more than 300 feet above downtown makes the cathedral a visible landmark from much of downtown and areas to the north.^[12]

Park in Spokane, Washington. John A. Finch Arboretum is a public arboretum located at West 3404 Woodland Boulevard, Spokane, Washington, United States on Sunset Hill. It is open daily without charge. Dogs are not allowed at the arboretum.

The arboretum was established in 1949 after the last living executor of the John A. Finch estate released $250,000 for the purpose. The landscape follows Garden Springs Creek, and now contains about 2,000 trees and shrubs, including 65 groups of lilacs, as well as a rhododendron grove, conifer and maple collections, and a nature trail. The arboretum lies in a small valley running southwest-to-northeast carved by the creek. I-90 and the Sunset Highway, which use the valley to descend into Spokane from the higher elevation of the Columbia Plateau, respectively form the southern and northern borders of the park.

The arboretum is home to the Touch and See Nature Trail, which is owned by the Girl Scout council in the area. It was refurbished by Darlea Chatburn in 2004 who received her Gold Award after the completion of the project.^[14]

The Division Street Bridge is a road bridge located in Spokane, Washington that carries Division Street across the Spokane River just north of Downtown Spokane, roughly a half-mile east of Spokane Falls. There have been multiple iterations of the bridge throughout its history. The current bridge is a concrete span and was built in 1992 and is officially known as the Senator Sam C. Guess Memorial Bridge.

The original bridge was a wooden truss structure built in 1882, which was replaced in 1892 by the steel bridge. The designer, Hugh L. Cooper from New York, designed the bridge to hold a dead load of 4800 pounds per linear foot, which he claimed was a weight far greater than any standard freight train at the time. The bridge was designed with two streetcar tracks, roadbed for horse and wagon (and, later, automobile) traffic, and pedestrian sidewalks.^[15]

Museum in Spokane Valley, Washington. The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum is located in Spokane Valley, Washington. The museum is located within the historic Opportunity Township Hall which was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Spokane County, Washington on March 15, 2005. The museum opened on August 18, 2005 and in 2013 the museum received the key to the City of Spokane Valley. The museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the heritage of the Spokane Valley area and surrounding regions. The museum preserves history through stories including agricultural heritage, aviation history, military life and much more. They offer engaging, informational exhibits, introducing their visitors to the people, places and events that made the Valley and surrounding areas what they are today. The Valley’s roots lie in the strength, courage and desire of the settlers who were in search of the American dream. The museum offers rotating exhibits that educate not only about our local history, but also state and national history, and even space exploration. In addition to the exhibits, the museum contains an extensive archive of photos and maps, as well as a variety of primary source documents from newspapers to yearbooks. All the documents are available for perusal by museum patrons.

The museum strives to continue to serve the community preserving and maintaining access to history and sustaining the preservation of our community’s heritage and has accumulated over 6,650 archive records in their searchable database. There are over 11,000 historical images in their collection, and the museum has a catalogue containing over 150 years of artifacts, photos, maps and other documents, and they are continually adding to their catalogue.

Annually, the museum has over 4,000 visitors from each of the 50 states, and some of the museum's visitors even come from out of the country. Regularly the museum brings traveling exhibits, which has included three Smithsonian Traveling Exhibits (2005, 2015, 2018). The museum has an excellent array of educational resources and programs for school children, youth groups and adult groups, and during the spring months, school aged children visit the museum, often for the first time, with their classmates to learn about their community. The museum works with local area businesses to preserve history by placing historic monuments on significant landmarks. Businesses and individuals that relocate to the area, often come to the museum looking to find historic and cultural information about their property and/or building. The museum also provides resources and information to the City’s leaders to help them better serve the community, with an understanding of the Valley’s identity, history and heritage. The museum is staffed primarily by community volunteers who have a passion for history and education.

The museum is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11am – 4pm.^[16]

Park in Spokane, Washington. High Bridge Park is a 200 acres public park located at Riverside Ave. and A St. in Latah Valley, Spokane, Washington. It is open daily, without charge.

Latah Creek runs along the eastern boundary of the park. The valley carved by the creek is crossed by three bridges carrying Interstate 90, Sunset Highway and a railroad. These bridges cross above the southern portion of the park.

Near the center of the park is a maintained grass area with amenities typical of other parks in the city. Picnic tables and grills are scattered about on the grass. There is also a picnic area with a wooden roof. A small playground is provided for children. While not as forested as the rest of the park, tall Ponderosa Pine trees shade the grassy area. A second, smaller, grass area lies up a hill immediately to the west.

The remainder of the park is quite different. Located less than two miles west of the city center, the park was plotted for development in the early days of Spokane. In the first half of the 20th century, the park was home to a tourist auto-camping park. After World War II, the park became home to federal housing for veterans. The motor home was eventually abandoned and the land became part of the park. The buildings are gone but obvious traces of the former neighborhood remain. Streets and sidewalks, now closed to traffic, are slowly succumbing to nature. Lots where mobile homes once stood are now highly forested.

Weaving around the park, but avoiding the main grass area, is an 18 hole, par-3 disc golf course. In January 2011, a dog park was opened in the portion of the park west of A Street.

High Bridge Park is adjacent to, but separate from, two other city parks. On the steep, 500 foot high ridge across Latah Creek is Overlook Park. Directly North across Riverside Avenue is People's Park where Latah Creek joins the Spokane River. On the river is the clothing optional beach, which People’s Park has become known for since 1974.

High Bridge Park developed a reputation for public sex acts. Between 2001 and 2006, the Spokane police department received 27 calls about lewd conduct and 6 people were arrested in June 2006.^[17]

Performing arts theater in Spokane, Washington. Bing Crosby Theater is a performing arts theater located in Spokane, Washington which was designed by theater architect Edwin W. Houghton. The theater was originally built in 1914 as an 800-seat movie theater called Clemmer Theater. Between May and October 1925, local singer Bing Crosby was a regular performer at the theater.

Over the years the theater fell into disrepair until it was purchased by a local company in 1988 and refurbished. The theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 1988. It was re-opened as the Metropolitan Performing Arts Center and was used for concerts, lectures, and movies. The Met was purchased by local businessman Mitch Silver in 2004 and in 2006 renamed after Bing Crosby when a local historian noticed that the city did not have any landmarks named after the multimedia star, who grew up in Spokane.^[23]

Private university in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga University is a private Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Founded in 1887 by Joseph Cataldo, an Italian-born priest and Jesuit missionary, the university is named after the young Jesuit saint Aloysius Gonzaga. The campus houses 105 buildings on 152 acres of grassland alongside the Spokane River, in a residential setting a half-mile from downtown Spokane.

The university grants bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees through its college and six schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education, School of Engineering & Applied Science, School of Law, School of Nursing & Human Physiology, and the School of Leadership Studies.^[25]

Private school in Spokane, Washington. The Gonzaga University School of Law is the professional school for the study of law at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Established in 1912, the Jesuit-affiliated law school has been fully accredited by the American Bar Association since 1951, and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Alumni of Gonzaga University School of Law practice in all 50 U.S. states, as well as various associated states and foreign countries.

Situated on the southern edge of Gonzaga University's campus, the Gonzaga University School of Law building includes the Chastek Law Library, University Legal Assistance, and the Barbieri Courtroom. The school awards the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and an Accelerated Two-Year J.D. and has a student body of approximately 350 students. It also offers dual degrees—including the Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration (J.D./MBA), the Juris Doctor and Master of Accountancy (J.D./M.Acc.), the Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Taxation (J.D./M.S.Tax) and the Juris Doctor and Master of Social Work (J.D./M.S.W.) The school's location in Spokane, the largest city in the Inland Northwest, allows students to take advantage of internships with private firms, government and not-for-profit agencies, and opportunities with both federal and state courts. Spokane is home to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington within the appellate jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.^[26]

Building in Spokane, Washington. The Benewah Milk Bottle is a landmark in Spokane, Washington. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, there are two constructed milk bottle-shaped buildings in the Spokane area, which accompanied a successful dairy operation's stores. One of the buildings is located on South Cedar Street in the Central Business District, while the other is located two miles north in the Garland Historical District.

On the morning of September 26, 2011, the Garland Historical District Milk Bottle restaurant, owned by Mary Lou Ritchie, and the historical Ferguson's Café, located next door, were heavily damaged in a fire. Fire investigators believe the fire started in a walkway between the two restaurants.^[28]

Historical landmark in Spokane, Washington. The Patsy Clark Mansion is a Spokane, Washington, United States, residence that was designed by architect Kirtland Cutter in 1897 for mining millionaire Patsy Clark. It is located at 2208 West Second Avenue in the city's historic Browne's Addition. The mansion had long been used as a restaurant. In 2002, a law firm purchased the mansion for $1.03 million in order to rescue the landmark from further deterioration. The mansion now houses a law firm, while still remaining open for private rentals for small events.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Clark Mansion in 1975. It is included also as a contributing property in Browne's Addition Historic District.^[29]

Neighborhood in Spokane, Washington. Downtown Spokane is the central business district of Spokane, Washington. The downtown core comprises the portion of the neighborhood of Riverside south of the Spokane River. Its rough boundaries are I-90 to the south, Division Street to the east, Maple Street to the west, and the Spokane River to the north. The topography of Downtown Spokane is mostly flat except for areas downstream of the Spokane Falls which are located in a canyon; the elevation is approximately 1,900 feet above sea level.

Located at a traditional Native American gathering place at the Spokane Falls, American settlement was established in 1871. Most of Spokane's notable buildings, historic landmarks, and high rises are in the Riverside neighborhood and the downtown commercial district, where many of the buildings were rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1889 in the Romanesque Revival style by architect Kirtland Kelsey Cutter. After experiencing periods of decline from Post-war suburbanization, the most recent following Expo '74, the neighborhood has become revitalized after the completion of the River Park Square Mall in 1999, which has become the most prominent shopping center in the city. The chief attraction of downtown Spokane is Riverfront Park, a 100-acre (0.40 km2) park just north Spokane's downtown core, it was created after Expo '74 and occupies the same site. The park hosts some of Spokane's largest events. The neighborhood is also the center of Spokane's governmental, hospitality, convention, and cultural facilities.

Mass transportation throughout downtown and the Spokane area is provided by the Spokane Transit Authority (STA) which has its STA Plaza central hub in the city center and Amtrak's Empire Builder and Greyhound operate out of the Spokane Intermodal Center. Spokane's city streets use a grid plan that is oriented to the four cardinal directions with its origin point on the east end of downtown. Sprague Avenue splits the city into North and South and Division Street divides the city into East and West. Interstate 90 (I-90) runs east–west from Seattle, through downtown Spokane, and eastward through Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and onward to Coeur d'Alene and then Missoula.^[30]