Then and Now: Fast Mail Train The Great Northern Fast Mail train No. 27 came through Spokane every evening in the early 20th century. Its route from Chicago to the West Coast took more than 47 hours but was the fastest way to send a letter before air mail... See more
Then and Now: Spokane Coliseum Metropolitan Opera soprano Patrice Munsel and the Spokane Philharmonic opened the new Spokane Coliseum in December 1954. Munsel grew up in Spokane but left at age 15 to study music in New York. After a 1943 audition, she bec... See more
Then and Now: Linder’s Lodge The rustic Bear Creek Lodge along North Mt. Spokane Park Drive, just outside the state park, was built in 1952 but closed in 2023 and sold to the park for a new headquarters building. Mount Spokane, at 5,887 feet, is the highe... See more
Then and Now: Santa Claus comes to town Retail commerce and Santa Claus have been a part of Spokane holidays since the turn of the 20th century. The character of Santa entered American culture through the many drawings of illustrator Thomas Nast, dating b... See more
Then and Now: The Ice Palace Riverfront Park’s Ice Palace, which opened the day after Thanksgiving in 1977, had a 40-year run as a downtown winter attraction. Opening day included demonstrations by local figure skating clubs that were set to disco music. ... See more
