Then and Now, Landscapes in Time

Often described as the "American West," "American Frontier," and even the "American Dream", the transcending from eastern institutions and geography to progressive western communities would not have been as easy without eastern or foreign investments (Pg. 189).  However, by the late 1880s, many of these investors lost interest in investing in prevalent mining and railroad projects.  Enter the Dutch investor.

View of the aftermath from The Great Spokane Fire, north from Railroad Avenue, Spokane Falls, August 1889
Courtesy Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (Image No. L86-139)

In John Fahey’s When the Dutch Owned Spokane, the “optimistic spirit” of Spokane Falls impressed Hollander, Herman A, Van Valkenburg.  Van Valkenburg consequently started the Northwestern and Pacific Mortgage Company in 1885, to assist with loans for the hardworking and entrepreneurial residents.  With the intent to evade American taxes, Van Valkenburg was encouraged by Netherland investors to reorganize his mortgage company, creating the Northwestern and Pacific Hypotheekbank.  Unfortunately for the masses in Spokane after the Panic of 1893, many of those with mortgages were unable to pay their debts.  Many notable Spokanite property owners went bankrupt as well during this economic depression.  Property was forfeited and farms were seized all over the city.

As many people lost their property, others were obliged to take the opportunities to buy real estate at depressed prices.  The Great Fire of 1889 in Spokane, many investors were wary of Spokane investments.  But the Dutch held many of the mortgages that were lost during the depression.  These mortgages were sold to up-and-coming developers and real estate investors for nominal prices, thus paving the way for such neighborhoods as the Manito and Rockwood Districts.  Zachary Wnek's Spokane Historical tour titled "Dutch" Jake Goetz and Harry Baer, embodies the development and fortune made my wealthy investors during the depression.  As Wnek tells, it was during this time that the extravagant Coeur d' Alene Hotel was built and was referred to as the "greatest place" by many wealthy businessmen.  Fahey's article can be difficult to follow along with without understanding financial terminology, but it clearly depicts how the Dutch helped develop the Spokane landscape into what it is today. 

Jay P. Graves (1859-1948); Developed Manito and Rockwood Districts after the Great Fire of 1889
Courtesy Whitworth College

Kyvig and Marty help public historians survey these cultural landscapes, such as Spokane.  In Chapter 9, the cycle of the landscape changing over time is discussed.  The cycle begins with construction and continues with abandonment, conversion, abandonment, demolition and new construction.   These cycles help historians study and understand changes over time in the cultural landscapes such as “migration patterns, the opening and closing of transportation routes, evolving architectural fashions and changing tastes in living space, and the displacement of older commercial districts by new shopping centers and big-box stores (Pg. 177).”  Chapter 10 examines historic preservation and its ever changing roles in heritage conservation, and the benefits of the preservation movement.  Four routes can be taken in dealing with historic properties: Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration or Reconstruction.  Both chapters 9 and 10 lend insight into the analytical understanding of the Spokane landscape.

Emphasized in Chapter 11 of Nearby History, to analyze these landscapes the public historian needs to develop their research and writing skills so that they may leave an accurate record of their investigation.  In addition, preservation techniques and responsibilities are discussed within the chapter.  The final chapter encourages public historians to recognize different approaches to studying history.  Once history was composed of narratives of the lives of the famous and elite, however, public historians are now emphasizing the lives of the every-day citizens.  Frederick Jackson Turner impacted modern historical thought by concentrating on local history and “had a profound impact on American Historical Thought (Pg. 232).”  Kyvig and Marty offer thorough insight into the techniques most often implemented by local historians in the preservation of materials, each one as useful as the next. 

   

William Cronon's How to Read a Landscape implores readers to read landscapes more in depth.  One of the intriguing ideas from this article is to use all of one's senses in observing landscapes.  The idea is to shut your eyes, and then make observations based on sound, smell, taste and touch.  In addition, learning ecology will be a key asset to understanding the landscapes around us.  Cronon goes on to include cemeteries in his 'Special Places' section.  I was not aware of the fact that different religious headstones vary from one another by any other means that religious symbols.  Not only will the information on cemetery analysis assist our projects, but the entire article teaches readers to take in the whole picture of the cemetery, and not just the information from the grave markers   I read through more of Cronon's website and find his work to be very in-sync with my own historical interests.  More can be seen through his website: www.williamcronon.net.