Spokane Historical

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Spokane Historical www.spokanehistorical.org

Spokane Historical is a web and mobile platform for telling stories of Spokane and Eastern Washington.

The stories were written by students at Eastern Washington University.

In 1916 Spokane was in the middle of an important court case about the intersections of race, immigration and citizenshi...
05/28/2026

In 1916 Spokane was in the middle of an important court case about the intersections of race, immigration and citizenship. The final post for Asian American History Month.

The crowds who came to see Akhay Kumar Mozumdar at this church in 1916 considered him a holy man, possibly even a miracle worker. But was he white? Few today know the story of Mozumdar, or how this…

What is now Finch Arboretum was once Chinese-American vegetable farms.
05/25/2026

What is now Finch Arboretum was once Chinese-American vegetable farms.

Being Japanese in Hillyard was not always easy. Home to a large community of railroad workers of every nationality, conflicts between the Japanese and other laborers were frequent, sometimes resulting…

Another post for Asian History Month, the Hillyard Hand Laundry.
05/21/2026

Another post for Asian History Month, the Hillyard Hand Laundry.

Being Japanese in Hillyard was not always easy. Home to a large community of railroad workers of every nationality, conflicts between the Japanese and other laborers were frequent, sometimes resulting…

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, so let's share a few posts about Spokane's Asian commu...
05/19/2026

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, so let's share a few posts about Spokane's Asian communities. Here is a story about Spokane's Buddhist Temple:

Early Spokane had more ethnic and religious diversity than we often realize. Many Japanese immigrants were drawn to Eastern Washington's railroad and mining jobs in the late 1800s and early 1900s. …

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, so let's share a few posts about Spokane's Asian commu...
05/16/2026

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, so let's share a few posts about Spokane's Asian communities.

In 1913, the east side of Spokane's downtown teemed with small businesses run by Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Greek and German immigrants. Their restaurants, laundries and baths, barber shops, hotels,…

With the removal of the Monaghan statue from in front of the Spokane Club, we will need to update this story soon!
05/12/2026

With the removal of the Monaghan statue from in front of the Spokane Club, we will need to update this story soon!

This dashing young man who perches in front of the Spokane Club, leaning on his sword and staring down the traffic on Monroe with steely-eyed determination is John R. Monaghan, who died because of a…

The newest story on Spokane Historical takes a look at Spokane's first Pride Parade.
03/27/2026

The newest story on Spokane Historical takes a look at Spokane's first Pride Parade.

In 1992, Spokane’s first pride march moved forward under restriction and threat, as participants took to the sidewalks to demand visibility in a city that had yet to make space for them.

Final post (for now) honoring the immigrants who build the Inland Northwest.The focus here is on the Sanchez family, who...
02/25/2026

Final post (for now) honoring the immigrants who build the Inland Northwest.

The focus here is on the Sanchez family, who fled a war-torn Mexico in 1910 and became successful orchardists in the Yakima Valley.

In 1885, the Northern Pacific Railway arrived in the Yakima Valley and attracted immigrants from all over the world. Yakima and nearby towns experienced rapid growth. Early twentieth century Yakima Valley consisted of orchards, hop fields, and vineyards. The excellent climate and soil, abundant wate...

Post--oh shoot, I lost track--post 7, I think, honoring immigrants to the region. One of the most unusual immigration st...
02/16/2026

Post--oh shoot, I lost track--post 7, I think, honoring immigrants to the region.

One of the most unusual immigration stories in our region is Henry Shuttleworth, the son of a British official in India and an Indian (South Asian) woman there, he came to the region with the fur trade and married an Indian (Native American) wife.

Frontier Washington was full of surprising and unexpected character, but perhaps none more so than Henry Shuttleworth. Shuttleworth was born in Bengal, India around 1837, the son of a colonial indigo farmer. While his youth is largely unknown, as a young man Shuttleworth received some form of educat...

Post 7 honoring immigrants in the region.Immigrant laborers were common in the Inland Northwest, but many left only trac...
02/13/2026

Post 7 honoring immigrants in the region.

Immigrant laborers were common in the Inland Northwest, but many left only traces in the historical record. We find glimpses of them in business records sometimes, such as with the vinegar works along Hangman Creek.

The area known as Vinegar Flats has a diverse history and was once home to local tribes, pioneers from the East coast, as well as new immigrants moving into Spokane. As early as 1874 there were small farms and orchards springing up with apple and peach trees hanging with fruit. Joshua R. Stafford ha...

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Cheney, WA
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