City of Spokane: The Re-Discovery

 

The City of Spokane falls gives you the luxury of enjoying the beauty of nature without being too far from the city.

It is just a few minutes away from many scenic lakes and rivers. Tourists can easily go boating, fishing, swimming and rafting without going too far from the urban metropolis. The city of Spokane also has mountain ranges that are great for biking, hiking and skiing. Visitors can find near Spokane approximately:

seventy-six lakes

eleven wineries

five ski resorts

thirty-three golf courses

five major national parks

The Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia River gorge are also well within the vicinity.

The city of Spokane is set within Washington State, in the North West portion of the United States. It is the biggest city of the Spokane County.

Spokane County is also called the Spokane Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is the metropolis of the Inland Northwestern area.

It is near the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, around one hundred ten miles (180 kilometers) to the south of the Canadian border.

Consistent with the United States Census Bureau, Spokane encompasses a total area of 58 square miles (152 square kilometers). Of the said area, 57.8 square miles (150 square kilometers) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 square kilometers) is water.

Spokane, then referred to as "Spokane Falls", was established in 1871. In 1881, it was officially declared as a city. Spokane got its name from a Native American tribe, also of the same name.

In Salish tongue, Spokane means "Children of the Sun". It commonly mispronounced as "Spo-CAIN", instead of "Spo-CAN". Spokane also goes by its nickname, the "Lilac City". The city was so called because of the flowers that have continually blossomed since the city's introduction in the early twentieth century.

David Thompson, a known Canadian explorer, once roamed the city of Spokane. He started the European village in the city. In 1810, he was instrumental to the foundation of the North West Company's Spokane House.

This famous merchandising house was the primary long-term settlement for the Europeans in Washington back then. For sixteen years, the North West Company's Spokane House was the heart of the fur trade between the Cascades and the Rockies.

During the late 1800s, gold and silver were discovered within the mainland of Northwest. The vicinity of Spokane is believed to be among the most successful mining zones in North America.

Historically, Spokane's economic system has been primarily based on natural resources.Today the city's economy has broadened to cover other alternative industries. Presently there is a rise of high-technology and biotechnology sectors in Spokane.

The completion of the Northern Pacific Railway way back in 1881 brought in major settlement to the city.

The increase of the population continues even today. As of 2008, Spokane County had a population of had a population of 462,677. The city of Spokane, then, had a population of 202,319.

The city makes up half the entire Spokane County population. This makes it the fifth largest city within the Pacific Northwest region.