Spokane, Washington
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Spokane | |||
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| Nickname(s): The Lilac City | |||
| Motto: Near Nature. Near Perfect. | |||
 Spokane County and Washington |
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Washington | ||
| County | Spokane | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Mayor-Council/Strong Mayor | ||
| - Mayor | Mary Verner (D) | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 58.5 sq mi (151.6 km2) | ||
| - Land | 57.8 sq mi (149.6 km2) | ||
| - Water | 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km2) 1.3% | ||
| Elevation | 2,376 ft (724 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - City | 198,081 | ||
| - Density | 3,387.0/sq mi (1,307.7/km2) | ||
| - Metro | 446,706 | ||
| 2006 city,[1] 2006 metro[2] | |||
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | ||
| Area code(s) | 509 | ||
| FIPS code | 53-67000[3] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1512683[4] | ||
| Website: www.spokanecity.org | |||
Spokane (pronounced /spoʊˈkæn/, ahd: spō-ʹkăn) is the largest city in and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States,[5] and is the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest, a region consisting of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, western Montana, and northeastern Oregon.[6] The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington and is 110 miles (180 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 20 miles (32 km) from the Washington-Idaho border, and 275 miles (443 km) east of Seattle.[7]
Canadian explorer David Thompson began European settlement of Spokane with the westward expansion and establishment of the North West Company’s Spokane House in 1810. The Spokane House was the first long-term European settlement in Washington state and the center of the fur trade between the Rockies and the Cascades for 16 years.
The city of Spokan Falls (the "e" was added in 1883 and "Falls" dropped in 1891) was settled in 1871 and officially incorporated as a city on November 29, 1881. The city's name is drawn from the Native American tribe known as the Spokane, which means "Children of the Sun” in Salish.[8][9] The name is often mispronounced "Spo-CAIN", while the correct pronunciation is "Spo-CAN". Spokane's official nickname is the "Lilac City", named after the flowers that have flourished since their introduction to the area in the early 20th century.[10] Completion of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1881 brought major settlement to the Spokane area.
With a population of 198,081 as of 2006, Spokane is the second largest city in Washington, and the fifth largest in the Pacific Northwest, behind Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Boise, Idaho, and slightly larger than Tacoma, Washington.[1] Spokane is the principal city of the Spokane Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is coterminous with Spokane County as well as the cultural and commercial hub of the Inland Northwest. As of 2006, the metropolitan area had a population of 446,706.[2]
Contents |
[edit] History
Spokane Falls and its surroundings have been a gathering place and focus for settlement for the area's indigenous people well before the 1700s, due to the area's abundance of salmon in the Spokane River and fertile hunting grounds.[11] For unrecorded millennia, the Spokane tribe lived in the area around the Spokane River, leading a seasonal way of life consisting of fishing, hunting, and gathering endeavors. The Spokane people shared their territory and language (Salish) with several other tribes, including the Colville, Flathead, and Kalispel tribes.[9] The Spokane consisted of three bands that lived along the Spokane River. The Spokane Falls were the tribe's center of trade and fishing. By the 13th century, the Spokane had developed permanent winter villages typically situated on rivers, especially along rapids and other places where fish were plentiful. Early in the 19th century, Indian and white fur trappers out of the east came into the northern Columbia Plateau forests.[9] They were friendly with the native people they encountered. They often lived with them, took on their customs, and intermarriage was not uncommon. In 1810, the Spokane commenced major trading with white men.[9] The Northwest Company's Spokane House was established on their lands.
[edit] Spokane House
The Inland Northwest was first explored by Canadian explorer-geographer David Thompson, working as head of the North West Company's Columbia Department.[12] Crossing what is now the U.S.-Canadian border from British Columbia, Thompson wanted to expand the North West Company further south in search of furs, primarily beaver fur. After establishing the Kullyspell House and Saleesh House trading posts in what is now Idaho and Montana, Thompson wanted to expand further west. In 1810, Thompson dispatched Jacques Raphael "Jaco" Finlay and Finan McDonald to the Spokane River to build a trade house that would serve the Spokane and Colville Indians in present day Eastern Washington.[13]
In a yellow pine flat in the "V" where the Little Spokane meets the Spokane, Finlay and McDonald built a new fur trading post, which is the first long-term European settlement in Washington state.[12] This trading post known as the Spokane House, or simply "Spokane", was in operation from 1810 to 1826.[14] The Spokane House, operated by the British North West Company and, later, the Hudson's Bay Company, was the center of the fur trade between the Rockies and the Cascades for 16 years. As the North West Company was absorbed into the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821, the operations at the Spokane House continued until 1825, when they shifted their operations to Fort Colville; afterward the company still remained active in the Spokane region.[15][12]
[edit] American settlement
Joint American-British occupation of Oregon Country, in effect since the Treaty of 1818 ended with the signing of the Oregon Treaty in 1846. The first American settlers, squatters J.J. Downing, with his wife and step-daughter, and S.R. Scranton,[16] built a cabin and established a claim at Spokane Falls in 1871. Downing and Scranton were the subjects of arrest warrants held by the U.S. Marshal in Montana alleging livestock theft.[17] Downing claimed 160 acres on the south bank and Scranton filed on 160 acres on the north bank. Together they built the first commercial building in Spokane Falls, a small sawmill on a claim located near the south bank of the Spokane Falls.[17] James N. Glover and Jasper Matheney, two Oregonians passing through the region in 1873 recognized the value of the Spokane River and its falls, they realized the investment potential and bought the claims of 160 acres and the sawmill from Downing and Scranton for $2,000 each.[17] Glover and Matheney knew that the Northern Pacific Railroad Company had received a government charter to build a main line across this northern route and in 1873 they purchased the sawmill and the claims from Downing and Scranton.[18] Glover built a store and lived with his wife in a building on the southeast corner of what is now Spokane Falls Boulevard and Howard Street.[19] In 1876, Glover bought out his partner Matheney's stake in the joint venture and opened Spokane's first bank. Glover became the founder and "Father of Spokane" and later became one of its first mayors as well.[19]
Camp Spokane was established by U.S. Army troops under Lt. Col. Henry Clay Merriam at a location 56 miles (90 km) northwest of Spokane at the junction of the Columbia and Spokane Rivers on October 21, 1880.[20] The location of the camp at the river junction was strategic, having the intended goal of protecting the construction of the Northern Pacific Railway, and to secure the location for U.S. settlement. Settlers among the Spokane and Colville Indians in Eastern Washington were afraid that war might break out. Camp Spokane served to separate the Indians from the settlers, being located between the Colville and Spokane reservations—protecting the growing non-Indian communities of Spokane Falls (later Spokane) and Cheney.[20] While stationed, Merriam's troops erected some temporary buildings at the post, which they initially called Camp Spokane, but in 1881 one of the four infantry companies was still living in tents. Then early in 1882, President Arthur formally set aside a military reservation at the site, which was renamed Fort Spokane.[20]
By 1881, the Northern Pacific Railway was completed, bringing major European settlement to the area. The city of Spokan Falls (without an "e"; the "e" was added in 1883 and "Falls" was dropped in 1891) was officially incorporated as a city of 350 residents on November 29, 1881.[21][22] The city's population ballooned to 19,000 in 1890 and 40,000 in 1900 with the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway.[23] The railroad lured settlers from as far away as Finland, Germany, and England and as close as Minnesota and the Dakotas. By 1910, the population hit 104,000; prior to the building of the Northern Pacific, Walla Walla had been the commercial center of the Inland Northwest; however, with the arrival of the railroad in Spokane, that quickly changed.[23]
[edit] The Great Fire
On August 4, 1889, a fire that began shortly after 6:00 p.m. destroyed the city's downtown commercial district.[24] The most credible story of its origin is that it started at Wolfe's lunchroom and lodgings opposite the Northern Pacific Depot on Railroad Avenue.[24] Due to technical problems with a pump station, there was no water pressure in the city when the fire started. Firefighters began dynamiting buildings in an attempt to deprive the fire of fuel, but the flames jumped the spaces opened and soon created their own firestorm. When volunteer firefighters attempted to quench the flames, they found their hoses were unusable. Eventually winds died down and the fire exhausted of its own accord. In the fires' aftermath, 32 blocks of Spokane's downtown were destroyed.[25]
While the damage caused by the fire was a devastating blow, Spokane continued to grow; the fire set the stage for a dramatic building boom.[25] After The Great Fire of 1889 and the rebuilding of the downtown, the city was reincorporated under the present name of "Spokane" in 1891.[22][6] Just three years after the fire, in 1892, James J. Hill's Great Northern Railroad had arrived in the newly created township of Hillyard (annexed by Spokane in 1924)—the chosen site for Hill's rail yards, machine shops, and roundhouse because of the area's flat ground. The addition of Hill's railroad resulted in another small population boom.[26] The railroads in Spokane made it a transportation hub for the Inland Northwest region.[27] Spokane became an important rail center during this time because of its location between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade Range and between mining and farming areas, making it a natural shipping center.[6]
The remnants of some of these railroads can still be seen today. The clock tower currently in Riverfront Park was built as part of a depot and is one of the biggest in the Northwest, with each of its clock faces measuring 9 feet (2.7 m) across. The clock tower is the only part of that depot that remains standing to this day.
[edit] 1974 World's Fair
Spokane hosted the first environmentally themed World's Fair in Expo '74, becoming the then-smallest city to ever host a World's Fair.[28] This event transformed Spokane's downtown, removing a century of railroad industry that built the city and reinventing the urban core. The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern rail depot. Upon close inspection, it can be seen where bricks were added on and where the roof used to be.
Many of the structures built for the World's Fair are still standing and in use. The United States Pavilion sits next to an IMAX theater, and the Washington State Pavilion became the INB Performing Arts Center. The Expo site itself became the 100-acre (0.40 km2) Riverfront Park, containing, among other features, the U.S. Pavilion, the turn-of-the-20th-century Looff Carousel, and the Great Northern Railway clock tower, the last remnant of the vast rail depot that was demolished for Expo '74. The U.S. Pavilion and the clock tower are prominently featured in the park's logo.
[edit] Geography and climate
Spokane is located at (47.673341, -117.410271).[29] Spokane is located near the eastern border of Washington, about 20 miles (32 km) from Idaho and 110 miles (180 km) south of the Canadian border. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 58.5 square miles (152 km2), of which, 57.8 square miles (150 km2) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) is water.
Spokane lies on the eastern edge of the Columbia Basin steppe, a wide sloping plain that rises sharply to the east towards the forested Rocky Mountain foothills, the Selkirk Mountains, a subrange of the Columbia Mountains.[30] The highest peak in the Spokane area is Mount Spokane at an elevation of 5,883 feet (1,793 m), located on the eastern side of the Selkirk Mountains.[31] The most prominent water feature in the area is the Spokane River, a 100-mile (160 km) tributary of the Columbia River, originates from Lake Coeur d'Alene in northern Idaho.[22] The river flows west across the Washington state line through downtown Spokane, then turns to the northwest where it is joined by the Little Spokane River on its way to join the Columbia River, north of the town of Davenport.[32]
Elevation ranges from 1,898 and 2,356 feet (579 and 718 m) above sea level.[30] Downtown Spokane is at an elevation of about 1,890 feet (580 m) above sea level, while the rest of the city varies by nearly 1,000 feet (300 m). The lowest elevation in the city of Spokane is the northernmost point of the Spokane River in Riverside State Park at 1,608 feet (490 m). The highest elevation is on the northeast side near the community of Hillyard, though closer to Beacon Hill and the North Hill Reservoir at 2,591 feet (790 m).
Spokane has a quintessential four-season climate, being in the continental and semi-arid zone. Spokane's climate is classified as being a warm summer continental or hemiboreal climate (Dsb) using the Koppen climate classification.[33][34] Both summer and winter are long, with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Summers are often warm and sunny with high temperatures usually between 80 and 90°F ( 26.7 and 32.2°C). Low humidity and cool evening temperatures make summers in this region comfortable and desirable. Winters are marginally cold, averaging 40.6 inches (103 cm) of snow per year. Summers are typically dry and mild, and winters can bring periods of cold, wet weather. The city receives an average of 16.50 inches (419 mm) of precipitation annually.[30] The Cascade Mountains to the west shield the city from the direct modifying effect of Pacific Ocean air, giving the region 70% more sunny days and less than half the rainfall of its west side neighbor, Seattle. The Rocky Mountains to the east help to protect it from the worst effects of Arctic air in winter, and precipitation is concentrated in the cooler half of the year, with the summer having dry and stable weather.
 Weather averages for Spokane, Washington  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 33 (1) |
39 (4) |
49 (9) |
58 (14) |
66 (19) |
74 (23) |
82 (28) |
83 (28) |
73 (23) |
59 (15) |
41 (5) |
33 (1) |
54 (12) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 22 (-6) |
26 (-3) |
30 (-1) |
36 (2) |
43 (6) |
49 (9) |
55 (13) |
55 (13) |
46 (8) |
36 (2) |
29 (-2) |
22 (-6) |
37 (3) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 1.82 (46.2) |
1.51 (38.4) |
1.53 (38.9) |
1.28 (32.5) |
1.60 (40.6) |
1.18 (30) |
0.76 (19.3) |
0.68 (17.3) |
0.76 (19.3) |
1.06 (26.9) |
2.24 (56.9) |
2.25 (57.2) |
16.9 (429.3) |
| Source: [35] 2007-01-03 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Spokane metropolitan area
Spokane is surrounded by many incorporated and unincorporated communities, which make up the suburbs of Spokane. They include Airway Heights, Cheney, Mead, Colbert, Spokane Valley, Millwood, Nine Mile Falls, Otis Orchards, and Liberty Lake. Across the border in Idaho, are Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene.
[edit] Neighborhoods
Much of Spokane is reflected in its large variety of neighborhoods. Neighborhoods range from the Victorian-era style South Hill and Browne's Addition, to the Davenport Arts District of Downtown, to the more contemporary neighborhoods of North Spokane. Virtually every social class is represented. Some of the neighborhoods are officially recognized by the city, while others are not, but are commonly thought of as distinct neighborhoods by residents. The districts include: Browne's Addition, Corbin Park, East Downtown Historic District, Fort George Wright, Four Corners, Hillyard Historic District, Marycliff-Cliff Park, Mission Avenue, Nettleton's Addition, Ninth Avenue, South Perry, Peaceful Valley, Riverside Avenue, Rockwood, Desmet Avenue Warehouse, and the West Downtown Historic Transportation Corridor.
Spokane's neighborhoods are gaining attention for their perceived charm and character, as illustrated by the city being home to eighteen recognized National Register Historical Places, the most in any city in the state of Washington.[36] More than 1,300 individual properties on the National Register are located in Spokane County.[37]
[edit] Downtown urban renewal
Downtown Spokane has undergone a major rebirth in recent years with over $3 billion in new investment and the completion of River Park Square Mall.[38] The historic Davenport Hotel underwent a major renovation in 2002 after being vacant for over 20 years. The project was funded by local entrepreneur Walt Worthy, who also added a safari-themed 20-story tower to the hotel in 2007. Other major projects include the renovation of the Holley Mason Building, the building of the Big Easy concert house (now renamed the Knitting Factory), the renovation of the Montvale Hotel and the historic Fox Theater (now home to the Spokane Symphony after its renovation), numerous new condo buildings, and renovations of historic, older brick buildings that will house both condos and business. Also, a major expansion of the Spokane Convention Center helped the city become the host of the 2007 US Figure Skating Championships. All new skyscrapers built in Spokane are subject to city height restrictions. Local developer Rob Brewster has proposed building the new VOX Tower which, if approved, will become the tallest building in Spokane. In all, over 500 projects worth over $2 billion are taking place in downtown Spokane.
The Kendall Yards development on the northside of Downtown Spokane along the Spokane River will become one of the largest construction projects in the city's history. The proposed development will directly connect to downtown with bridges across the Spokane River and blends residential and retail space with plazas and walking trails. Phase I of the development will incorporate about 500 residential units and 500,000 square feet (50,000 m2) of non-residential use. Town homes, condominiums, and apartments will comprise the residential makeup. Upon completion, the nearly 80-acre (320,000 m2) Kendall Yards project will include up to 2,600 residential units and up to 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2) of commercial, retail, and office space.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 19,922 |
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| 1900 | 36,848 | 85% | |
| 1910 | 104,402 | 183.3% | |
| 1920 | 104,437 | 0% | |
| 1930 | 115,514 | 10.6% | |
| 1940 | 122,001 | 5.6% | |
| 1950 | 161,721 | 32.6% | |
| 1960 | 181,608 | 12.3% | |
| 1970 | 170,516 | −6.1% | |
| 1980 | 171,300 | 0.5% | |
| 1990 | 177,196 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 195,629 | 10.4% | |
As of the 2000 census,[3] there were 195,629 people, 81,512 households, and 47,276 families residing in 87,941 housing units at population density of 3,387 people per square mile (1,307.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.46% White, 2.07% African American, 1.76% Native American, 2.25% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 3.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.
Of the 81,512 households, 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.0% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,273, and the median income for a family was $41,316. Males had a median income of $31,676 versus $24,833 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,451. About 11.1% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under the age of 18 and 9.6% of those ages 65 and older.
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives' 2000 Metro Area Membership Report,[39] the denominational groups of the Spokane MSA are 43,397 Evangelical Protestant, 32,207 Mainline Protestant, 776 Orthodox, 57,187 Catholic, 17,351 Other, and 267,021 Unclaimed.
[edit] Government
- See also: List of mayors of Spokane, Washington
The City of Spokane operates under a Mayor-Council form of government, also referred to as a "Strong Mayor." Spokane switched to a Strong Mayor system in January 2001, after 40 years of running under a Council-Manager system.[40] Spokane passed the initiative changing the form of government in November of 1999.[41] The Strong Mayor initiative created distinct legislative and executive branches within the city government. Under the Strong Mayor form of government, there are two distinct branches of government: the Executive (Mayor) and the Legislative (City Council).
The Mayor, as the Chief Executive Officer for the City of Spokane, is in charge of operating city government and implementing the policies developed by the City Council. The City Council sets the policy direction for the city.
The Deputy Mayor, serves in the capacity of the city's Chief Operating Officer. The Deputy Mayor is responsible for overseeing all of the operating divisions of the city.[40]
The other key elected members in the government are the seven members of the Spokane City Council (two elected from each of three districts, plus a President elected through a city-wide vote), who make up the legislative branch of the city's government.[42] The Council sets city policy, passes ordinances, and guides the city through legislative efforts. The current City Council President is Joe Shogan.[41]
The current mayor of Spokane is Mary Verner. She was formerly on the city council for four years and became the new mayor on November 27, 2007 replacing Dennis P. Hession, who conceded on November 9, 2007. Hession became mayor on December 16, 2005 after the recall of the Jim West.
Other polticians represent the people of Spokane at the local, state, and federal level of government. At the state level, Washington is represented by Governor Christine Gregoire. At the federal level, Spokane is in Washington's 5th congressional district, and is currently represented in the United States House of Representatives by Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The state of Washington is also represented in the United States Senate by Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray.
[edit] Education
Spokane Public Schools (District 81) is the main and largest public school system in Spokane, serving roughly 30,000 students.[43] Two other public school districts in the Spokane area are Central Valley School District, and Mead School District, serving approximately 12,000 and 9,100 students, respectively.
Spokane is home to many higher education institutions. They include the private universities, Gonzaga and Whitworth, and the public Community Colleges of Spokane system as well as an ITT Tech campus. While Spokane is one of the larger cities in the United States to lack a main campus of a state-supported university within its city limits, Eastern Washington University (EWU) and Washington State University (WSU) have operations at the Riverpoint Campus (formerly known as "Riverpoint Higher Education Park"), just adjacent to downtown and across the Spokane River from the Gonzaga campus. The campus is also home to the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute (SIRTI) and, as of fall 2008, the University of Washington's Schools of Medicine and Dentistry will have first-year students at the Riverpoint Campus in partnership with WSU and EWU. The main EWU campus is located 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Spokane in nearby Cheney, and WSU is located in Pullman about 65 miles (105 km) to the south.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau,[3] the total school enrollment in Spokane was 53,000 from 2005-2007. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 5,300 and elementary or high school enrollment was 30,000 children. College or graduate school enrollment was 18,000. From 2005-2007, 90 percent of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 27 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher. Ten percent were dropouts; they were not enrolled in school and had not graduated from high school.
Serving the general educational needs of the local population are two public library districts, the Spokane Public Library and the Spokane County Library District.
[edit] Economy
In the late 1800s, gold and silver were discovered in the Inland Northwest. The discovery of gold, silver, and lead in the Coeur d'Alene region (which generally encompasses present day Stevens, Ferry, and Pend Oreille counties and northern Idaho) in the 1880s precipitated a rush of prospectors into the region. As a regional shipping center, the city furnished supplies to the miners who passed through on their way to mine in the Coeur d’Alene region.[6] By the mid-1890s, high mining operations were underway in the region.[32] The area is considered to be one of the most productive and reformed mining districts in North America.[44] Natural resources have traditionally provided much of the economic activity for the Spokane area, a major center for the timber, agriculture, and mining industries in the region.
A number of manufacturing companies have located in Spokane, drawn by the easy access to raw materials and cheap hydroelectric power. Finished wood products, metal refinery and fabrication, and food processing are among the leaders in manufacturing. Fortune 1000 company, Potlatch Corporation, which operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) and owns and manages timberlands located in Arkansas, Idaho, Minnesota, and Oregon is headquartered in Spokane.[45] The outlying areas are part of an abundant agricultural system, providing a large amount of the nation's apples, peas, hops, pears, asparagus, lentils, soft wheat, and sweet cherries. A number of wineries and breweries also operate in the Spokane area.[46][47]
Foresty and agribusiness continue to be important elements in the local economy, but Spokane's economy has diversified to encompass other industries, including the lucrative high-tech and biotech sectors. Economic development initiatives in Greater Spokane concentrate on six industries: manufacturing, aerospace, health sciences, information technology, clean technology, and digital media.[48] Sizable companies with locations in the Spokane region include Agilent, BluRay Technologies, Cisco, F5 Networks, General Dynamics, Goodrich Corporation, Honeywell, Itron, Kaiser Aluminum, Telect, and Triumph Composite Systems.[48] Spokane's downtown is the site of a 100-block wireless network—the largest of its kind in the country, which is seen as symbolic of its dedication to the development of technological opportunities and resources.[46]
From 2005 to 2007, the leading industries in Spokane for the employed population 16 years and older were educational services, and health care, and social assistance, 25 percent, and retail trade, 12 percent.[3] The health care industry is a large and increasingly important industry in Spokane, the city provides specialized care to many patients from the surrounding Inland Northwest and as far north as the Canadian border. Other industries include construction and mining, manufacturing, transportation, communication and networking utilities, finance, insurance, real estate, and government.[44] Furthermore, all branches of the U.S. armed forces are represented in Spokane County. The largest military facility is Fairchild Air Force Base, which employed 3,359 military and 863 civilian personnel in 2002.[46]
Spokane serves as the hub for the service industries, and the wholesale and retail trade center of the 80,000 square miles (210,000 km2) Inland Northwest region.[48] And in part because Spokane is the largest city between Seattle and Minneapolis, tourism is on the rise in the area. Spokane also serves as a shopping, entertainment, and medical hub for the Inland Northwest as well as southern British Columbia and Alberta.[49][50] Several ski resorts are located in the area, including Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint, Idaho and Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg. Spokane also serves as a "base camp" for activities such as river rafting, camping, and other activities.
The local and state government are undertaking steps to develop the economy of the Spokane region.[46] At the local level there is The Spokane Area Economic Development Council, which works with businesses to locate and utilize local and state business incentives. The Spokane Neighborhood Economic Development Alliance offers two revolving loans to businesses and nonprofit organizations expanding or creating new jobs in Spokane. Also, advocating for regional economic growth in workforce, industry, manufacturing, public policy, and healthcare is Greater Spokane Incorporated, a joint organization consisting of the former Chamber of Commerce and the former Economic Development Council.[51] At the state level, there are a wide variety of tax incentives exist for businesses operating, expanding, or relocating to Spokane. Industry and area-specific tax incentives are available, as well as loans, bonds, credits, and grants.
[edit] Infrastructure
[edit] Healthcare
Spokane is the hub for medical services in the Inland Northwest. The region's healthcare needs are served primarily by Seattle-based Providence Health & Services and Spokane-based Empire Health Services, two non-profit organizations who run the two biggest hospitals in Spokane, Sacred Heart Medical Center (Spokane), and Deaconess Medical Center, respectively. Both hospitals are Level II trauma centers and work together by alternating weeks of being the designated trauma center in the area. The two hospitals, along with a majority of Spokane's major health care facilities are located on Spokane's Lower-South Hill, just south of Downtown. The close proximity of the hospitals, doctors' offices, and specialized clinics scattered around this area, form what is known as the "Medical District" of Spokane.
Healthcare in Spokane is considered excellent, and the quality of service attracts patients from beyond the region. Deaconess Medical Center has been ranked one of the Top 100 Heart Hospitals in the nation 5 times in the last 8 years by Solucient, and is ranked #1 in Washington for overall cardiac services by HealthGrades.[52]
In 2003, Sacred Heart Medical Center opened the first and only major Children's Hospital in Eastern Washington.
Other hospitals in the area include the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the northwest part of town, Holy Family Hospital on the north side, and Valley Hospital and Medical Center in Spokane Valley.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Roads and highways
Spokane's streets use a street grid that is oriented to the four cardinal directions. The median streets are Division St. (running north-south, dividing east and west), and Sprague Ave. (running east-west, dividing north and south).
Spokane is primarily served by Interstate 90, which runs east-west from Seattle, through Downtown Spokane, and eastward through Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and onward to Coeur d'Alene. Although they are not limited access highways like I-90, US 2 and US 395 enter Spokane from the west via I-90 and continue north through Spokane via Division St. The two highways share the same route until they reach "The Y", where US 395 continues northward to Deer Park, and US 2 branches off to the northeast, continuing to Mead, Colbert, Chattaroy, Newport, and Sandpoint.
Over the past decade, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has aggressively improved local highways to keep up with the region's growth and to try to prevent congestion problems that plague many large cities around the country. In 2005, the WSDOT completed the first two phases of its I-90 Spokane-Idaho State Line widening project. Currently the interstate has been widened to six lanes through Spokane Valley, but another $210 million in funding is still needed to widen the last segment between Sullivan Road and the Idaho state line.[53]
The Department of Transportation is also constructing the US 395 North Spokane Corridor. When completed, the corridor will be a 10.5-mile (16.9 km) long limited access highway that will run from I-90 in the vicinity of the Thor/Freya interchange northward through Spokane, meeting the existing US 395 just south of Wandermere Golf Course. Aside from the construction of I-90 itself, this is the largest road construction project ever to be implemented in Spokane. The north-south freeway is expected to take over $2 billion to complete (over $3 billion if inflation is factored in).[54] The first segment of the freeway is scheduled to be open in 2009. The rest of the freeway will be built as funding is made available. With full funding, the roadway would have taken 10 years to complete.
[edit] Public transportation
Before the influx of automobiles, people got around by using Spokane's streetcar system. Many of the older side streets in Spokane still have visible streetcar rails embedded in them to this day, as they were never removed.
Today, mass transportation throughout the Spokane area is provided by the Spokane Transit Authority (STA). STA currently operates approximately 160 buses and has a service area that covers roughly 371 square miles (960 km2). A large percentage of STA bus routes originate from the central hub, the STA Plaza, in Downtown Spokane. Passengers who stop at The Plaza can transfer to virtually any other of Spokane Transit's routes.
Talk of constructing a rapid-transit system began in earnest in the late-1990s, with a light rail system being a preferred option to bus rapid transit. The proposed light rail line was to run from The Plaza eastward through the Spokane Valley to Liberty Lake, with future extensions from The Plaza to Spokane International Airport, Liberty Lake to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and a line running in the median of the currently-being-constructed, North Spokane Corridor. In 2005, the $263 million project was narrowly defeated by voters, shelving the project for the time being. A non-profit, non-partisan citizens group, The Inland Empire Rail Transit Association (also known as InlandRail), was created to continue the public dialog.[55]
Spokane has rail and bus service provided by Amtrak and Greyhound via the Spokane Intermodal Center. The city is a stop for Amtrak's Empire Builder on its way from Chicago. Through service continues once a night to both Seattle and Portland, a reflection of the old Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway.
[edit] Airports
Spokane, Eastern Washington and North Idaho are served by Spokane International Airport (GEG), which has no international flights (except to Canada), but is still the second largest airport in the state of Washington and is recognized by the FAA as a small hub.[56] The airport lies west of the city, and is a 10-minute drive away from downtown. The international airport three letter designation is "GEG", a result and legacy of the Geiger Field days prior to 1960, when the airport was was named after Army aviator Major Harold Geiger in 1941. Geiger is now a National Guard landing field and is used for general aviation.
Felts Field is a general aviation airport serving Spokane County and is located in east Spokane along the Spokane River. Felts Field served as Spokane's primary airport until SIA was built. Today the terminal building, among others at the airport, still stand and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
[edit] Cityscape
[edit] Culture and contemporary life
Life in Spokane is heavily influenced by its climate and geographical location. Spokane experiences a four-season climate, and is close in proximity to dozens of lakes and rivers for swimming, boating, and fishing, as well as mountains for skiing, hiking, and biking. As a result, Spokane can be characterized as an "outdoorsy" city.[57] Within a short drive from Spokane, visitors can find 76 lakes, 33 golf courses, 11 wineries, five ski resorts, five major national parks, the Columbia River gorge, and Grand Coulee Dam.[58] Glacier National Park is just four hours away from Spokane, and Mt. Rainier National Park is four and a half hours away; other national parks are less than a 12-hour drive away, including the United States' Yellowstone National Park, and Canada's Banff and Jasper National Parks.[58]
Spokane is big enough to support urban culture (such as Broadway performances, museums, shopping, and dining, etc.), but at the same time is small enough to support annual events and traditions that have a small town feel. The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture houses a large collection of Native American artifacts as well as regional and national traveling art exhibits. Located in Browne's Addition amid the mansions of Spokane's late 19th-century golden age, the Museum is in a secluded setting a few blocks from the center of downtown.
Since February 2005, the Spokane metro area has seen an influx of new residents, drawn to the region by its natural beauty, wealth of recreational activities, good weather, relatively low cost of living, and vibrant job market. Spokane was rated #49 on the Men's Journal 2005 "50 Best Places to Live" list,[59] #77 on the CNNMoney 2008 “100 Best Places to Live and Launch” list,[57][59] #5 on the Forbes Magazine 2005 "Safest Places to Live" list,[60][59] and #35 on the Inc. Magazine 2005 "150 Best Places for Doing Business in America" list.[61][59]
[edit] Arts and theater
Spokane boasts a multiple different visual and performing arts scenes. These attractions include a major civic theater as well as several smaller ones, a symphony and other musical venues, an opera, and several museums.[32]
The First Friday Artwalk, which occurs the first Friday of every month, and is dedicated to local vendors and performers displaying art around Downtown. Spokane's two main Artwalk dates (the first Friday of February and October) attract large crowds to the art district. Spokane's main art districts are located in the Davenport District, the Garland Village, and an art district in 1800 E. Sprague area. In addition, Spokane is home to a number of art galleries, many of which are in the Davenport District.
The Davenport District is also home to many of the Spokane's main performing arts venues, such as Goodworks Co-op, beneath Ella's Supper Club, which projects silent black and white movies on the back of the Fox Theater each night.
Fox Theater, which has been restored to its original 1931 Art Deco state, hosts a full season of concerts as the home of the Spokane Symphony. The Metropolitan Performing Arts Center was restored in 1988 and renamed Bing Crosby Theater in honor of Spokane native Bing Crosby in 2006.[62]
[edit] Sports
Spokane's professional sports teams include the Spokane Shock (af2), Spokane Indians (Northwest League), Spokane Chiefs (Western Hockey League), and the Spokane Spiders (Premier Development League).
In 1995, the Spokane Public Facilities District opened Spokane's premier sports venue, the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to replace the aging Spokane Coliseum. In the years since the Spokane Arena opened, it along with the city of Spokane have played host to several major sporting events. The first major event the 1998 Memorial Cup, the championship game of the Canadian Hockey League. Four years later in 2002, Spokane hosted the 2002 Skate America figure skating competition as well as the first two rounds of NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. In 2003 and 2007 the NCAA returned to Spokane with the Division I Men's Tournament, and again in 2008 with the Women's tournament.
The biggest sports event hosted in Spokane history was the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The event set an attendance record, selling nearly 155,000 tickets and passing the previous mark of 125,000 set by the 2002 United States Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles and was later named the Sports Event of the Year by Sports Travel Magazine,[63] beating out notable events, including Super Bowl XLI, among others. Fans, analysts and athletes, including Ice Dancing champion Tanith Belbin, spoke highly of the city's performance as host, which included large, supportive crowds. Spokane was also a candidate city for the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, losing its bid to Los Angeles. On May 5, 2008, it was announced that Spokane will once again host the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 2010—ending eighteen days before the start of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
The Spokane Arena is the perennial host to the State 'B' Basketball Tournament, which brings athletes and fans from across Washington to Spokane. With the split of the 'B' classification in 2006, in 2007 the city began to host the State 2B (the state's second smallest class) Basketball Championships.
Although Spokane lacks any major, nationally recognized professional sports teams, Spokane has a sports friendly atmosphere, and was recognized and rated #99 in the Sporting News 2006 "99 Best Sporting Cities" list.[59] Spokane is associated as being home to some sports teams that have gained national recognition in the their respective arenas.
Spokane is the home of the Gonzaga Bulldogs and their NCAA Division I college basketball program that competes in the West Coast Conference (WCC). Although the WCC is often considered a “mid-major” conference, the Gonzaga basketball program is often considered a major program. Gonzaga is one of only nine schools to have reached each of the past ten NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournaments and is the only school that is not from a major conference to do so.[64] They have made it to the tournament every time since Gonzaga's rise to national prominence in their Cinderella run to the Elite 8 in the 1999 tournament. The Bulldogs are the current WCC regular-season champions, a title which they have held for the last eight years.[65]
| Club | Sport | League | Stadium (or Arena) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane Indians | Baseball | Northwest League (Eastern Division) | Avista Stadium |
| Spokane Shock | Arena Football | af2 (American West Division) | Spokane Arena |
| Spokane Chiefs | Ice Hockey | Western Hockey League (U.S. Division) | Spokane Arena |
| Spokane Spiders | Soccer | Premier Development League (Northwest Division) | Spokane Falls Stadium |
[edit] Parks and recreation
The Spokane area offers an abundance of outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in outlying natural areas that may cater to a variety of interests, including miles of hiking trails to tread, many lakes for fishing and watersports, and numerous parks for sightseeing.
In 1907, Spokane's board of park commissioners retained the services of the Olmsted Brothers to draw up a plan for Spokane parks.[66] Today, Spokane has a system of over 75 parks totaling 3,500 acres (14 km2), with parks ranging in size from the 0.25 acres (1,000 m2) Skeet-So-Mish Park playground to the 464 acres (1.88 km2) Palisades Park conservation area.[67] Some of the parks in Spokane's extensive park system are listed below:
- Riverfront Park, created after Expo '74 and occupying the same site, is 100 acres (0.40 km2) in downtown Spokane and the site of some of Spokane's largest events. The park has views of the Spokane Falls, and holds a number of civic attractions, including the Skyride (a rebuilt gondola that carries visitors across the falls from high above the river gorge), the 5-story IMAX theater, and numerous rides and concessions. Various festivals are held in the park throughout the year. A "Great Gorge Park", originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers, is being proposed as an extension of Riverfront Park along the deep river gorge through the Peaceful Valley neighborhood. Riverfront Park includes a hand-carved carousel created in 1909 by Charles I. D. Looff as a wedding present for his daughter. The carousel still operates in Riverfront Park, where riders can participate in an old-time ring toss. The carousel continues to offer a free ride to the rider who grabs the brass ring.
The Park also includes a small amusement park (which is converted into an ice-skating rink during the winter months), a restored Looff carousel, an IMAX theater and ample views of the Spokane falls as well as other water features (some man-made) of the Spokane River. The park is host to a full schedule of family entertainment and events such as the Bloomsday Post-Race Celebration, Hoopfest, the IMAX Film Festival, Spokane Music Festival, Pig-Out in the Park, Restaurant Fair, Pow Wow, New Years Eve Celebration, plus many outdoor concerts and other community activities.
- Manito Park and Botanical Gardens, on Spokane's South Hill, has a duck pond, a central conservatory named in memory of Dr. David Gaiser, Duncan Garden, a classical European Renaissance style garden and the Nishinomiya Japanese Garden designed by Nagao Sakurai.
- Riverside State Park is close to downtown and is a site for hiking, mountain biking, rafting, and also has scenic views.
Other activities and sites in the Spokane area include:
- The John A. Finch Arboretum is a 57-acre (230,000 m2) public arboretum featuring a variety of rare and native trees and wildlife.
- The Spokane River Centennial Trail has over 37 miles (60 km) of paved trails running along the Spokane River from Sontag Park in west Spokane to the east shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The trail is used for alternative transportation and recreational use, such as running, walking, cycling or skating. Informational signs and parking are provided along the trail.
- In the summer, one may visit Lake Coeur d'Alene, Priest Lake, Lake Pend Oreille, or one of the other nearby bodies of water. The Spokane area has 76 lakes and numerous rivers, where various water sports, fishing, camping, and rafting can take place.
- In the winter, the public has access to five ski resorts within a few hours of the city. Among these is nearby Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park, operated by a non-profit organization. Mt. Spokane has trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding. During the non-winter months, hikers and mountain bikers use the trails.
[edit] Events and activities
Spokane is home to a number of annual events and attractions that draw people from the surrounding area. The Lilac Bloomsday Run, held on the first Sunday of each May, is a 7.46 miles (12.01 km) race for walkers and competitive runners, which is the largest timed road race in the world, typically drawing about 45,000 participants.[68] Hoopfest, the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world, is held the last weekend in June, and has a variety of participants, from kids, teens, and adults to former college and NBA players, in their respective brackets.[69] Hoopfest started in 1989 with just 300+ teams, and now the event now annually averages more than 25,000 participants or around 6,000 3-4 person teams.[70]
Film festivals held in Spokane include The Spokane International Film Festival, which is held every February, is a small, juried festival, that features documentaries and shorts from around the world, and the Spokane Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which is held every November, features contemporary, "independent films" that are of interest to the GLBT community. Also, The Garland Village Arts & Music Festival takes place the second Saturday every August.
Other notable events in Spokane include the following:
- Japan Week each April cel