Bamontes' Spokane Conclusion

Spokane’s neighborhoods grew from the early parks donated by wealthy businessmen.  The developers knew that beautifying the city would increase real estate value.  Aubrey White, soon to be recognized as the “Father of Spokane Parks,” served as president of the nonpolitical City Beautiful Club, a club formed to promote and establish the Spokane city park and playground system.  Three parks are discussed by the Bamontes.  Coeur d’ Alene Park was instigated by both Browne and Cannon.  This park was fashioned for affluent Spokanites who would be able to commute downtown without their horses since a streetcar ran from Browne’s Addition, created around the park, to Downtown Spokane.  Interestingly enough for our graveyard projects, Spokane’s first cemetery was erected in Browne’s Addition.  

However, just as real estate goes, the most desirable land always has a way of ending up on the market.  Those buried in this cemetery are said to be exhumed and reburied in Cannon’s Addition, only to be exhumed once again and finally buried in either Greenwood or Fairfield Cemeteries.  Now a large condominium development rests on the first Spokane burial grounds.  And what do you know, skeletons were discovered during the construction of the property.  Manito Park, as well as Corbin Park, would also prove to be “successful financial moves for all parties involved and marked the beginning of the real estate boom in that area (183).”  On a cynical note, I am absolutely not surprised the Bamontes left out what would become of the Manito Zoo as it was a grim end.  The fact that they leave out the killing of the animals makes me wonder what other dismal stories Spokane has hidden, in which the Bamontes sidestep for purposes of selling Spokane.  Read more on the closing of the zoo, here 

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Manito Park Zoo Bears, Photo Courtesy of Discovery School

Manito Park Zoo Wolves, Photo Courtesy of Discovery School

Naturally, I have an affinity for the architectural history of Spokane.  I particularly enjoyed the small section on the Historic Landmarks Survey, whereby the Spokane City Plan Commission ventured to identify structures and places of cultural importance for Spokane.  This was a smart move for Spokane, as the areas with historical significance raise market value for neighborhoods, and thus falls nicely into the Bamontes’ theme of real estate development.  I would have liked to of seen more “Now and Then” photographs, to emphasize the city’s growth.  In all, I enjoyed the architectural history chapters in Spokane & the Inland Empire much more because I feel there were no ulterior motives, just a straightforward history.   

I enjoyed reading the real estate ads, and am impressed that the developers were in tune with the future desirability of such additions as Rockwood and Manito.  They also weren’t too far off from the Browne’s Addition appeal, which is still somewhat true, but just as all of Spokane goes, differs from block to block.  I would have liked to of seen Liberty Lake in its “Summer Colony (282)” days, I feel as though it is just being developed beyond appeal and today is just an extension of the valley, and probably not what Robert MacKenzie had in mind as a resort town.    

The Bamontes do an excellent job in constructing a scholarly account of the history of Spokane.  Their use of primary sources and presentation of information can rival any academic work.  What the Bamontes fail to do, is include any history of Spokane that does not pertain to white Christians, with minimal stories of Spokane women.  It seems for the Bamontes that the Hispanic population, black population, the Jewish population, and other minorities, with a stress on the exclusion of Indians residing in Spokane, are the exception to “Under All is the Land.”  And when 2011 President of the Spokane Association of Realtors, Joe Mann, commissioned this book to be written, he had very explicit ideas on what early history of Spokane he wanted to be told.  I am led to believe that this book had only one purpose, to sell Spokane, not educate.     

Bamontes' Spokane

Tony and Suzanne Bamonte's Spokane, Our Early History: Under it all is the Land affirmed, “Spokane’s history is defined by the land under our feet and the people who discovered and nurtured it (vii).” This statement resonates profoundly with public historians who also dwell in the Lilac City.  Within the first half of Bamontes’ work, concepts are discussed that allowed Spokane to become the center of the Inland Empire. 

Chapter 1 opens up with the first photograph of Spokane and quickly jumps into the American settlement of the area.  Land acquisition and private land ownership, instigated by the easy access to the West, created by the Northern Pacific Railway, catapulted the Inland Northwest into a bustling region.

Chapter 2 continues the theme of Spokane’s founding through the means of the railroad business and the entrepreneurial spirit.  The new residents of Spokane greatly impacted the expansion of Spokane Falls, as evident in their namesakes, Cannon’s Addition and Browne’s Addition.  Also, many other businessmen would find their way to Spokane and help aid Spokane’s development, including the William C. Gray family, developing Spokane’s first quality hotel, the California House, Francis Cook, established the newspaper Spokan Times, and Louis M. Davenport, The Davenport Hotel and Restaurant.  The Bamontes also discuss the building up of infrastructure and basic utilities.  It’s too bad that the Bamontes skipped over the establishment of the Jewish synagogue in Spokane as it was the first synagogue established within the entire state of Washington, something I find particularly interesting.   

The original Temple Emanu-El, Washington's first synagogue, 3rd Avenue and Madison Street, Spokane, Est. 1892
Courtesy Spokesman-Review Archives

Chapter 3 depicts a Spokane devastatingly affected by a massive fire, but unwilling to give in to the devastation.  In addition to Kirkland Cutter, which we read extensively about in a complete chapter dedicated to him in our last book, we get to read about architect Chauncey Seaton and his contributions to the rebuilding of downtown Spokane.  Seaton is most known for the beautiful Review Building.  I found it extremely eerie to read the story of the Northern Pacific Railroad accident in 1890 as I was parked on Sprague and Division earlier today.  I also enjoyed the 1899 picture of the bicyclists preparing for a race as I am an avid bike rider.  It is awesome to see that bicycling has essentially always been a preoccupation with Spokanites as there were already 10,000 bicycles in Spokane in 1904. 

 

Chapter 4 is centered on the Spokane’s turn of the century ideal of “progress” and establishing the foundation of the Spokane Association of Realtors-I cannot decide if this is a legitimate linking of realty and history, or just a clever attempt to include realty in the broader scope of the Spokane narrative.  I found it interesting that homelessness and vagrancy were ramped in the early years of Spokane, so much so that even the hospitals frequently provided shelter for the needy.  This was such a prevalent occurrence that Spokane had three more hospitals built before 1900 and 1910.  Today it seems that religious organizations and handouts are what help sustain the needy in Spokane.  I enjoyed the section on the Paulsen and Hutton buildings, as well, and even enjoyed the history of the Paulsen and Hutton families.             

As practicing realtors, the Bamontes scope of work understands that it is the constructing, selling and purchasing of the built environment that vividly narrates the history of Spokane.  The Bamontes use an array of interesting primary sources, which fits succinctly with the training of public historians, and can be appreciated as such.  Their use of photographs and anecdotes contribute significantly to their historical lens, and exceedingly contribute to their cause of filling the void in Spokane history books.          

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.

The Artifacts of a Hometown Past

Public historians look to the future just as they do the past.  What was once common occurrences of routine and somewhat ordinarily lives, in now part of an ongoing struggle to decipher the valuable historical pieces from a plethora of artifacts, for the enjoyment of future generations.  Two of these pieces, as described in Kyvig and Marty’s Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You, Chapters 7 and 8, are visual documents, namely photographs and videos, as well as physical artifacts.  Both visual documents and artifacts lend insight and understanding in the daily activities of local residents, some more than others.  Historians painstakingly sort through hundreds of thousands of photographs, videos, household items, clothing, etc. in order to preserve the knowledge of the past.  Kyvig and Marty stress the importance of locating more discerning visual documents and artifacts from others in hopes that these pieces will help the present day and future historians understand local history more fittingly, and thus the larger context of the historical narrative.  Though this read, just as most manuals do, lack any type of liveliness, I appreciate the information and took very diligent notes on the preservation process, knowing this manual will be highly applicable to my career as a public historian.

The Art of Preserving Artifacts, Photo Courtesy of: The Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts

Just as Kyvig and Marty share insight on how to preserve history, Thrush’s Chapters 7 and 8 in Native Seattle: Historians from the Crossing-Over Place, and Chapters 7 and 9 in Spokane & The Inland Empire: An Interior Pacific Northwest Anthology give framework to the development of communities, where visual documents and artifacts are “produced.”  The two place-stories of Seattle, as told first by the Tilikums, then by the pioneers, contrast in their perceptions of storytelling; just as the Tilikums aimed “to drum up attention in the noisy marketplace of civic public relations” the pioneers were determined “to preserve local heritage and revisit fading memories.”  Both of these groups intended to tell stories of Seattle’s Indian past in order to give shape to the history of the city for their own benefit, but contrasted sharply in their modes of doing so.  Together these groups left historians an abundance of visual documents as well as artifacts in order for historians to retell the place-story of Seattle.  Unlike the Tilikums and the pioneers, historians face challenges of presenting history not as independent and profiting entities, but to benefit the community and to frame the historical narrative with no biases or judgments, allowing the public to harness their own analytical and critical thinking skills about the implications of historical events.  

So much can be inferred from the built environment, these are some of the largest artifacts left for historians and the community.  Author Henry Mathews, in unfolding the works of Spokane renowned architect Kirkland Cutter, narrates the social, political and economic happenings between the end of the nineteenth century and first quarter of the twentieth century.  This was by far the most interesting read for me not only in this book, but from all other books read this quarter.  The history of Cutter's architecture can also be found at a blog dedicated to depicting Cutter's work in a "then and now" presentation, here.  Along with architecture contributing to the historical narrative, J. William T. Youngs also describes local events with the intent to define a place-story.  The 1974 World’s Fair Expo in Spokane, with the theme of environmentalism, defines a community that was dedicated to urban renewal.  This exposition, as eloquently described, encouraged citizens to “think globally and act locally.”  This new mindset for Spokane catapulted the community into a history of ecological awareness, far from James N. Glover’s vision of fully exploiting the falls for his economic gain.  There are numerous artifacts from the construction on the 74' World Expo still present for all of Spokane to enjoy, most notably the entire Riverfront Park.  

A photographic timeline for the Davenport Restaurant, 1) 1906 Drawing, 2) 1908 Photograph, 3) 2008 Photograph Photos Courtesy of: 1) archive.worldhistoria.com, 2) loc.gov, 3) oregonlive.com 

Many cities are following in the footsteps of the host city to the 74’ World Expo, especially with historical preservation awareness.  Many every day citizens are taking it upon themselves in documenting historically significant artifacts, whether they are for the purpose of preserving the environment-such as in the work the National Park Service organizes- or just to preserve their heritage past.  San Francisco residents are collaborating on ghost sign projects all throughout the city.  These residents are collectively gathering ghost sign artifacts, consisting of visual images, and locations in order to build a database of San Francisco ghost signs, before they are lost to “awkward paint jobs;” and go unnoticed by the majority of residents.  I am thrilled these citizens are pooling their knowledge and resources, and look forward to my ghost sign artifact contributions within the City of Spokane in Dr. Cebula’s Hometown History course.