Information on Spokane

Spokane is the gateway to the Inland Pacific Northwest. It is located 18 Miles west of the Idaho state line and 110 miles south of British Columbia, Canada. As the county seat, Spokane serves as the hub of the Inland Northwest. This is a region of 36 counties, encompassing parts of Montana, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, Alberta, as well as Washington. Over 1.7 million people reside within this trade zone. Spokane is also considered at major medical and educational hub. The health care community has five hospitals including the Spokane Shriners Hospital, a regional rehabilitation center, the Heart Center whose services include a full range of cardiac care, University of Washington residencies including family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics, neonatal intensive care and psychiatry. Higher education institutions in the Spokane area are Eastern State University, Gonzaga University, Whitman University, Washington State University at Spokane and the two community colleges, Spokane Falls Community College and Spokane Community College.

A bit of history:
The Spokane Indians and other tribes were the first to inhabit the Spokane area. In 1810, members of John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company established a fur trading center, The Spokane House, on the Spokane River. But the land basically remained untamed until the 1860s, when missionaries, miners, and farmers began to settle in the region. By 1881, the Northern Pacific Railroad had reached the Spokane area, making it accessible to most of the nation. The town of Spokane Falls was incorporated on November 19, 1991, with a mere 350 residents, and was renamed Spokane in 1891. On August 4, 1889, the "Great Fire" wiped out the entire business community. Work was immediately started to rebuild the city and by 1909 the city had grown to 140,000. To learn more about the history of Spokane, contact the Eastern Washington Historical Society, Cheney Cowles Museum, 2316 W. First Ave, Spokane, WA 99204, (509) 456-3931.

Spokane Chamber of Commerce
The source for the above information, and more about Spokane.

City of Spokane