Bob Hughes, Spokane Valley, WA / August 2004
The Spokane Valley in Spokane County is generally defined as the area east of the Spokane city limits to the Idaho Border. It is nearly 30 miles long and ranges from five to ten miles wide. The Spokane Valley area is approximately 120 square miles, compared to the City of Spokane’s 57 square miles.
The Spokane Indians lived in the region until the establishment of fur trading in 1810. In 1849, the first white settler located in the Spokane Valley in the Millwood area. In 1873, James N. Glover first rode across the untamed land that the Spokane Indians inhabited and purchased the land and sawmill that J.J. Downing and Seth Scranton had constructed on the edge of the Spokane River. Glover established a store and stable there, thus beginning the settlement of Spokane Valley.
As word spread of the beautiful country, large numbers of settlers soon followed . The discovery of silver succeeded in further luring families to the city in search of prosperity. By 1881, the Northern Pacific Railroad reached the Spokane area, making the Valley and the City of Spokane more accessible. As the City of Spokane grew, many people chose to live "in the country" – east of the city limits – in the Spokane Valley. By 1889, Spokane’s population had reached nearly 20,000.
The year 1889 saw the development of communities that grew up around irrigation routes from nearby lakes, the Spokane River, and the aquifer. Different plats were laid out and given names such as: East Farms, Opportunity, Dishman, Orchard Avenue, Vera, Millwood, Otis Orchards, Greenacres, Liberty Lake, Newman Lake, Pasadena Park, Trentwood, Chester, and others. Many of these Valley communities still retain their original identity today. Of all the communities, Millwood was the only one to incorporate as a town.
The City of Spokane Valley tried several times to incorporate and failed. However, on March 31, 2003, the City of Spokane Valley was finally incorporated. With an estimated population of 85,010 at incorporation, Spokane Valley is the 8th largest city in Washington State. The incorporation of Spokane Valley was the largest in the state and the second largest single incorporation in U.S. history. The City encompasses approximately 38.5 square miles of land area.
We plan to compile photos and information on historic monuments that are still standing today throughout the Inland Northwest, so visit often to check on our progress. In addition to providing valuable historic information about the region in general, we hope these glimpses back into history will spark new interest in helping to preserve and maintain the historic resources currently located here.
Have some history you'd like to share with us? Simply email it to Editor@spokane.net, along with your full name and the city you live in. If we post the information, you'll get credit for it.