Four Bridges Built There
Less than two months after a devastating fire destroyed downtown Spokane Falls, the first Monroe Street Bridge opened on October 17, 1889, in the heart of the city. Located downstream from the waterfalls, the crossing was built of wood tied together with iron rods. It didn't last long, burning down in July 1890, and local residents decided to build its replacement with steel.
The second Monroe Street Bridge opened in 1892, by which time Spokane Falls had shortened its name to Spokane. Although this new bridge was sturdier than its rickety predecessor, it vibrated badly. The national Good Roads Association declared it unsafe in 1905, and even Ringling Brothers Circus elephants were said to have balked at crossing it. In 1909, plans were drawn up for yet another replacement.
When it opened in 1911, the third Monroe Street Bridge (shown above) proved to be the charm. The massive concrete structure with its graceful arches soon became one of Spokane's most cherished landmarks. In 1976 the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but by the 1990s, the structure had deteriorated so badly that it was beyond repair. Rather than build a new type of bridge, Spokane citizens opted instead to replace the old structure with an almost exact replica. The reconstructed Monroe Street Bridge opened in 2005, and is expected to last more than 75 years, cementing its reign as one of Spokane's oldest icons.
The Pole in the Square
On October 18, 1899, Seattle triumphantly unveiled its latest and proudest possession – a 60-foot totem pole in Pioneer Square. Only a few insiders knew that the city's heraldic column had actually been chopped down and stolen from a Tlingit village in Alaska while the residents were off fishing. The culprits included some of Seattle's most prominent citizens cruising on a Seattle-Alaska "goodwill tour" led by Chamber of Commerce Acting President James Clise.
The purloined pole's rightful owners protested and charges were filed, but little came of them. The totem pole lasted until it was destroyed by an arsonist on October 22, 1938. Its burnt remains – along with a check from the federal government – were returned to the Tlingits. They magnanimously carved a replica that remains to this day alongside the 1909-vintage Pergola.
