SPOKANE, Wash – A dry summer, smoky skies and a fire that changed the community forever. It could describe what’s happening in 2026 in Spokane. It’s also what happened 137 years ago Tuesday.
August 4, 1889 was the day the young city of Spokane changed in an instant.
A fire sparked at a lodging house just north of the railroad tracks. Water pressure was low and despite firefighters’ efforts, flames raced down towards the river, consuming everything in their path.
Within hours, the fire had destroyed 32 city blocks. All of downtown was wiped out.
The city didn’t waste any time rebuilding.
150 new structures went up in just a year. The oldest of those buildings is at the corner of Main and Stevens, aptly named the 1889 building.
A historical marker notes the event, though most people pass by without looking at it.
You can read a plaque not far from where the fire started. It’s on top of a concrete structure on South Lincoln, just south of Railroad Alley.
The Spokane Historical Society has a more in-depth look at the fire at this link.
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