Spokane Falls photo by Martin Kraft
Welcome to Riverfront Park, home to Expo '74. Enjoy the 100 acre park’s public features from the World Fair including the Pavilion, Clock Tower, Gondolas, as well as numerous Spokane events throughout the year.
Spokane Falls was once a large settlement site of people known as the Spokane (or Spokan). The location was originally named by natives "Swift Water" in the Spokan native tongue. The Spokanes constructed permanent villages for the winter by the river for fishing and huts, and in the mountains for gathering. Land-grabbing by white settlers pushed out the original inhabitants, in the 1860s. In 1881 "Spokane Falls" was renamed and incorporated the city of Spokane, meaning "children of the stars" or "the Star People"
In the 1800s Spokane Falls was mostly used to power sawmills and flour mills. Settlers were drawn to this location because of the potential for electric power. The first electric company was started in 1887. Completed in 1890, the Monroe Street Dam was the first dam built on the Spokane River and is currently the longest-running hydroelectric generation facility in Washington state. The dam, constructed at a natural waterfall, helped the town of Spokane Falls move from candles and oil lamps to incandescent lighting. The dam was rebuilt just prior to Expo '74, to produce twice the electrical power. Just to the West, Huntington Park, offers opportunities for viewing the Lower Falls and two vintage 1900-era turbines.
Good Luck and have fun!
2015 was the inaugural year of Spokane Geocache Tour. This Spokane County tour sent geocachers on a trip through Spokane History, finding caches in areas of historical significance. Visiting urban and rural gems, historic farming communities, forts and geological marvels. The Spokane History Geocache Tour rewarded those who completed with a commemorative Geocoin featuring the native Spokane Salish language.
Visit SpokaneGeoTour.com for additional details on the current Geocache Tour.
Spokane History Geocache Tour: sponsored by Spokane County TPA, Cache Advance, and Washington State Geocaching Association (WSGA)
