Surprising Spokane

By Anna Lee Braunstein, F351629

September 2015

Part of the pleasure of RV travel is discovering not just wilderness and beautiful roads but cities as well. The latter may require a towed car to visit, as Spokane does, but they can yield great sights and activities. Washington’s second-largest city is filled with gardens, walkways, art, and nostalgia.

The beautiful downtown would surprise someone who visited long ago. Spokane began as a railroad town serving the mining, lumbering, and farming industries of the early 20th century. By the 1950s and early 1960s, Spokane was a center of smog and noise, as railroad yards crowded near the Spokane River’s beautiful falls and scenery.

Then the city was selected as the site of Expo ’74, the 1974 World’s Fair. What a difference that made. Gone is the dirt floating in the air and piled on the river’s shoreline. Now Riverfront Park occupies the world’s fair space.

The park trail, a destination for walkers, runners, and bicyclists, is a section of the Centennial Trail, a 37-mile walking and biking path that extends to the Idaho border. Seventeen pedestrian bridges give walkers beautiful views, including the falls along the Spokane River.

Riverfront Park is the best place to start exploring the city. The 100-acre park, like an outdoor museum, is lined with whimsical and commemorative sculpture. Along Spokane Falls Boulevard is “The Joy of Running Together,” a bronze depiction of a group of runners of all ages and abilities. Children and adults alike take the long slide on “Childhood Express,” a huge, 12-foot-high steel and concrete Radio Flyer wagon. Nearby, 2-foot building blocks spell a nonsense word and offer another chance to climb. More subdued art includes the metal Centennial Sculpture, which appears to float in the water. Even a bicycle rack near the Performing Arts Center has an artsy design.

A 1901 clock tower, originally part of the Great Northern train station, is a park landmark, as is the huge, metal tent frame that once helped create the USA Pavilion at the world’s fair.

Park activities that require fees include amusement rides, miniature golf, and skating at the Ice Palace. A 1909 Looff carousel beckons riders to reach out for a brass ring as a 300-pipe Ruth band organ fills the air with lilting melodies. A bright-red train transports riders on a half-hour tour of the park. The more adventurous can take a skyride over the falls of the river, and an IMAX theater offers exciting experiences, too.

Wandering around the park can stir the appetite. The Sugar Shack, near the carousel, offers delicious treats. You can feed your food wrappers to the Garbage Goat, a statue that hides a vacuum.

More charming, amusing, historical and patriotic outdoor sculptures are scattered throughout the city. In the downtown district, “The Proposal” shows a bronze stick-figure boy on bended knee holding a ring for his stick-figure girlfriend. The look on her face says, “Yes.”

Manito Park is a 90-acre gathering of gorgeous plants, with 40,000 annuals added every spring. From the parking lot next to the park’s free Gaiser Conservatory, visitors gaze down on Duncan Garden, done in the Renaissance style. The view from above is lovely, but a stroll through an artist’s palette of flowers, topiary, fountain, and gazebo is even better. Every angle is photograph-worthy. Within the Gaiser Conservatory are displays of beautiful orchids, cacti, succulents, and tropical greenery.

A map available at the park offices behind the conservatory shows the many seasonal gardens. The Dahlia Society Trial Garden bursts with a blaze of blossoms. Rose Hill and the Lilac Garden fill the air with aromas. A gentle walk leads to the Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden, where koi drift in the shadows of bonsai trees and stone sculpture. Benches invite visitors to enjoy quiet contemplation. Throughout the year, the Joel E. Ferris Perennial Garden is filled with the changing blooms of the seasons. Kids won’t be bored at the garden’s playground, and like the best of all parks, this one has wooded acres, ponds, and a café. And admission is free.

High up a hill in the Edwidge Woldson Park area are the Moore-Turner Heritage Gardens. Unlike the gardens in the public Manito Park, these gardens were originally privately owned. They were built between 1889 and 1932 and restored in 2007. Garden pathways lead to remains of the original buildings, including a tea house, well house, bower, and pond. Heirloom perennials, roses, and wisteria from the 19th and early 20th centuries thrive here. The property is open Wednesday through Sunday from late April through September, and since it is rustic and historical, it is not handicapped-accessible.

Nostalgia and art are indoor features on the Gonzaga University campus. There, a small home takes visitors back over half a century to the time of big bands and gentle crooners. Washington native Harry Lillis Crosby, better known as Bing Crosby, grew up in this area and attended Gonzaga as a law student. The Crosby House, the original family home, was moved to the campus, where it is open for self-guided tours.

Bing dropped out of Gonzaga and headed to Los Angeles in 1925, starting what became a legendary career in movies and recordings. While much of the upstairs of the residence contains offices, downstairs the main rooms are preserved as though the family were at home. Bing lived here from early childhood until his departure for fame. The old radio, albums of his music, and family photographs are displayed. Sheet music rests on the piano stand, and his crooning fills the air. A slide show presents photographs of his life.

In addition to the home furnishings, Bing’s awards and personal items fill the house. The Oscar he won for playing Father O’Malley in Going My Way is featured. Gold records bring back wonderful memories of listening to him on the radio, television, and in movies.

The Bing Crosby House is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturday afternoons. Admission is free. Call (509) 328-4220 for more information.

Carrying on the Crosby tribute, the 100-year-old Clemmer Theatre in downtown Spokane has been restored and renamed the Bing Crosby Theater.  Plays and concerts are presented throughout the year.

It is a short walk from Crosby’s home to the Jundt Art Museum, also a part of the university. It houses changing exhibitions and a small, permanent display by glass artist Dale Chihuly. The focal point is The Gonzaga Red Chandelier, consisting of about 800 glass shapes blown at Chihuly’s studio in Seattle. The friendly docent told us stories about installing the massive chandelier and gave information on the museum’s current exhibits. She also recommended returning in the late afternoon to watch the glow and shadows created by the chandelier. The Jundt does not charge admission.

Back in town are more indoor adventures. The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, or MAC, has five galleries exhibiting art of the Northwest, including art of the American Indian tribes, regional contemporary art, and an excellent collection of Works Progress Administration art from the 1930s. The Neoclassical Revival home of the Campbells, wealthy mining investors, is located next to the museum. The 1910 home of Amasa B. Campbell reflected the wealth of its owners, who were world travelers and community leaders. It has been restored to its earlier magnificence and is part of the MAC complex.

A huge downtown shopping center called River Park Square is also home to the Mobius Children’s Museum and the Mobius Science Center. They offer activities to engage and entice youngsters and adults.

The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, the first part of which was completed in 1929, is a rare American example of stunning classic Gothic architecture. The 1931 Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox is a good example of art deco design.

For great food and adult beverages, many breweries, wineries, and restaurants await your visit. Some of the landmark spots include Frank’s Diner, a restaurant located in what was once the private car of the president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Rescued from abandonment at the height of the Great Depression, the old car has been serving three meals a day ever since. Another eatery, Anthony’s at Spokane Falls, offers a fabulous view along with tasty cuisine for lunch and dinner.

Wild and relaxed adventures abound in Spokane, and visitors will have fun tales to share about their visit.

808 W. Main Ave.

Spokane, WA 99201

(888) SPOKANE (776-5263)

(509) 747-3230

Spokane is a busy town with lots of narrow roads and hills, so a towed car is the best way to get around.

This may not be a complete list, so check your campground directory or the RV Marketplace, found in the June and January issues of FMC and online at FMCA.com.

3025 N. Barker Road

Spokane Valley, WA 99027

(800) 562-3309 Reservations

(509) 924-4722 Info

6021 E. Fourth Ave.

Spokane, WA 99212

(800) 659-4864

(509) 535-1811

1205 N. Country Club Drive

Deer Park, WA 99006

(877) 276-1555

9711 W. Charles Road

Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026

(888) 226-7688 Reservations

(509) 465-5064