World War Two was pivotal for Spokane and the Inland Northwest. The U.S. Military viewed the region as strategically valuable, so existing military facilities, including Fort George Wright and Felts Field were expanded. Thousands of American soldiers came into the area for training, including bomber pilots and crews at Geiger Field and submarine crews at Farragut. New supply depots were built, including the Spokane Army Air Depot which was renamed Fairchild Airforce Base following the war, and…

As one of the Northwest's most important agricultural regions, the Palouse today represents the economic and cultural beginnings of Eastern Washington. The Palouse is not only full of historical significance, but it is also full of great outdoor activities, from hiking and biking, to fishing and sightseeing. This driving tour through the rolling and undulating hills of the Palouse can easily take an entire day so plan accordingly, bring water, respect private property and enjoy one of the most…

The Spokane Fire Department has a rich history dating back to 1884, when the city was known as Spokane Falls. Over the years, the fire department has developed from a volunteer-only to professional organization serving the vast needs of the City of Spokane. Read through each station to learn a little more about the history of the Spokane Fire Department.

In Spokane as in the rest of the United States, structural racism has taken many forms. Among the most consequential has been segregated housing. Restricting racial minorities to certain "redlined" neighborhoods served to prevent the targeted groups from building political power or inter-generational wealth. Though legally abolished by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, racial discrimination in housing continued to be written into legal documents for decades and shapes the city to this day. The…

No city is an island. The major historical events of 20th-century America all had their influences on Spokane. The exhibits in this tour were created by the students in Dr. Larry Cebula's class, Introduction to Public History, taught at Eastern Washington University in 2019. With the guidance of Anna Harbine, the Johnston-Fix Curator of Archives and Special Collections at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, they explored the museum archives for untold stories. Working as a team, they…